The Director of Island Institute’s Center for Climate and Community, Dr. Jessica Reilly-Moman is a social scientist, ecologist, and writer. She has over twenty-five years of experience and a deep passion for accelerating climate action for coastal communities. She has worked with different organizations across the Americas, Europe, and Africa on climate adaptation and mitigation projects. Since 2020, Jessica has played a vital role on the Maine Climate Council, initially serving as technical staff to the Coastal and Marine Working Group and now as a consultant, facilitator, and author for the Scientific and Technical Subcommittee.

In her role at Island Institute, Jessica leads Island Institute’s climate team and programmatic work focused on building climate resilience through mitigation and adaptation among Maine’s island and coastal communities.

Jessica holds a Ph.D. in Ecology and Environmental Sciences from the University of Maine, an M.S. in Energy and Resources from the University of California – Berkeley, and a B.A. in Ecology from Brown University. She expects to complete her M.F.A. in Creative Nonfiction from Stonecoast at the University of Southern Maine in January 2025.

Originally from New Hampshire, Jess now lives on the Pemaquid Peninsula with her husband, daughter, two horses, and two dogs.