Jessica Dauphin is a Middle Tennessee native, born in Nashville, raised in Pegram/Kingston Springs, and an alumna of Middle Tennessee State University where she studied English and History graduating Magna Cum-Laude. Jessica dedicated 15 years since working for nonprofits helping to bring awareness and hope to individuals and communities. Be it autonomy, safety, or access, the drive toward positive social change has been her calling card and personal brand.
Along the way, she developed a suite of hard and soft skills. So, whether creating a volunteer program, weekend-long advocacy workshops, leading development efforts, managing a gala, or speaking to local group of residents; she brings the same level of passion and commitment to the communities she serves.
Today, Jessica is the President and CEO for the Transit Alliance of Middle Tennessee. For Jessica, joining the Transit Alliance in 2017 was a vital step in professional growth. Access to effective and efficient transit options is key to sustaining growth and economic competitiveness in the region as well as preserving the high quality of life we all strive toward. Dauphin recognizes that even with the best schools, jobs, healthcare, parks, etc. a city can
provide, if a person is not able to get from where they are to where they are going, living a good and happy life can seem like an insurmountable challenge. Transportation challenges underscore many issues facing growing cities and deserves thoughtful, engaging conversations that lead to intentional investments of well-connected systems.
The mission of Transit Alliance is to build support for funding a regional transit system. To reach that goal, Dauphin relies on her skillset built over time to nourish relationships with business leaders and elected officials as well as communities. She secures funding for programs and oversees educational and community engagement programs, including the Transit Citizen Leadership Academy (TCLA). The TCLA is designed to equip participants with the knowledge and group tools to lead the conversation on transit and transportation in the region—there are currently 490 alumni in Middle Tennessee. Currently, she is on the board of Transit NOW Nashville and recently presented The Thing That Matters Most for TedX.
Dauphin prefers Summer to any other season. She resides in beautiful Bellevue on the Riverwalk Greenway where you can find her out with her husband and 7-year-old son most any Spring, Summer, or Fall day. If she’s not out walking, she’s running on her treadmill or lifting weights. For fun, Jessica enjoys reading, singing, and sometimes manipulating charcoal into images of fleeting moments.
