MEET THE TEAM: Jessica Amber Hernandez
Jessica Amber Hernandez is the Strategic Initiative Program Manager at the Community Foundation. In her role, Jessica leads the development, coordination, and implementation of the Cornhill Revitalization Project. She plays a key role in aligning residents, nonprofit partners, and new community resources to ensure the project evolves with the neighborhood’s needs. Her strategic approach brings together local organizations and community voices to strengthen Cornhill’s vibrancy and connectivity.
DESCRIBE YOUR ROLE AND WHAT PROJECTS AND WORK YOU ARE INVOLVED IN.
In my role, I work closely with both the community and my team. I serve as a liaison between the Cornhill neighborhood and the Community Foundation—making sure the voices of residents are heard and that our commitments are upheld. I also manage and implement new initiatives and programs in Cornhill, helping to ensure a smooth transition and that the evolving needs of the community are met. I’ve also been actively involved with the Rome, NY Emergency Response Fund, helping to address the many applications from individuals who experienced property damage during the Rome tornado in July of 2024.
WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE PART OF YOUR ROLE AT THE COMMUNITY FOUNDATION?
I enjoy having a role that involves a variety of tasks, and I love the balance of working externally with the community and collaborating internally with my team.
WHAT IS A FUN FACT ABOUT YOU THAT PEOPLE WOULD BE SURPRISED TO KNOW?
I have 19-year-old twins.
WHAT ARE SOME OF THE BIGGEST CHALLENGES YOU’VE ENCOUNTERED IN YOUR WORK, AND HOW DO YOU OVERCOME THEM?
The biggest challenge is the community’s lack of faith in the Community Foundation and the Cornhill Revitalization Project. I combat these doubts by holding steadfast in my faith that this will happen—because it needs to happen for the community of Cornhill. Our kids need places to go and things to do. Growing up in New York City, we had a Children’s Foundation designed specifically for kids, and it was life changing. My brother even met his wife there. The Children’s Foundation offered everything—speech classes, college prep courses, after-school programs, and field trips. The idea of having all those resources in one central location and seeing the positive impact it creates is something many people don’t fully understand. I wasn’t just a participant from the age of 11…I worked there, my kids went there, and my cousins went there. It was the only safe place we had. Without it, many of us would have ended up on the streets, caught up in drugs, gangs, or worse. There were no other options. That’s why I hold so tightly to my faith that these Impact Centers in Cornhill will happen. They must happen. And when they do, they will be life-changing for this community.
WHAT DO YOU ENJOY DOING OUTSIDE OF THE OFFICE?
I enjoy being outside, hiking, swimming, and bike riding. But I can just as easily curl up under a tree with a good book.
WHAT DO YOU THINK IS THE GREATEST THING ABOUT THIS AREA?
The total diversity in Utica is like a mini-New York City. There are over 45 different languages spoken, hundreds of different nationalities, and the restaurants and food follow that.