Jessie Gilligan

Ask Jessie how to land a dream job and she might recommend you start out as a soil-and-water chemist, switch gears to IT, leave a steady job for a temporary position while raising young children, take up web development, then land on your feet as an executive assistant.

At least, that’s how her career path shook out. A Bachelor’s in chemistry led to a less-than-exciting stint conducting moisture analysis and various other tests for the pulp and paper industry. She shifted to work in reporting and IT, fueling her love for analysis and problem-solving. Four years in, Jessie made the IT life formal by attending Georgia Tech for coding while raising a two-year-old and buying a house.

This is when she began following Erik Reagan (Focus Lab’s COO), nipping at his heels until he opened a 90-day trial position for an on-staff developer. She left her job of five years for the chance to work with Focus Lab – even on a trial run – and has been a part of the Focus family since.

In late 2019, Jessie transitioned to the operations team as an executive assistant, followed by transitioning into Operations Manager in 2021. On any given day, you might find her organizing office space, writing code, finding new tools for collaboration, or streamlining departmental processes to automate the boring parts – all tasks that befit her Southern-hospitality, servant-heart, how-can-I-make-this-easier-for-everyone approach to life.

Jessie is a true Jane of All Trades, both in and out of work. She can landscape and pressure wash, change her own tires and shoot a gun, push her PR on the Peloton and dote on her family as the ultimate Multitasking Mega Mom and Wife (sometimes all at once). She and her husband, Colin, have a joyfully full house in Southeast Georgia with two children, two dogs, one cat, and a Bearded Dragon. Insider tip: Ask her about the time she and Colin summited Grand Teton.