Jessica Macy didn’t grow up dreaming of being a nonprofit professional or coach. Jessica secretly dreamed of becoming a California Highway Patrolwoman and marrying Erik Estrada, her one true love. Becoming a coach for nonprofit professionals wasn’t part of her plan, but it’s something she was always meant to do.
So, what is nonprofit coaching? At Partner for Better, coaching is about helping people solve problems, brainstorm ideas, and address the daily challenges of nonprofit work
Jessica’s coaching journey is a collection of lived experiences, hard-earned insight, and an unwavering commitment to leave things better than she found them.
Jessica’s professional path started with a degree in political science and a spot in the second-ever class of AmeriCorps VISTA volunteers. A native of Oklahoma, she began her career teaching middle schoolers, organizing communities, and leaning into grassroots service. That’s where she developed her love of working with nonprofits.
From there, Jessica moved into roles across the sector, including volunteer coordination at a major food bank, executive leadership at small community-based organizations, and everything in between. Her resume includes nonprofits with million-dollar budgets and some with bare bones and minimal staff members. But no matter the size or scope of the project or program in front of her, the goal was always the same: to leave things better than she found it.
What is Nonprofit Coaching?
Along the way, Jessica was lucky to work under great executive directors who didn’t lead with fear or intimidation, but instead managed through questions, curiosity, and compassion.
“I worked for some amazing executive directors who were great coaches,” Jessica said. “They were great questioners. Most of them had a background in direct services. Asking questions is one of the most powerful tools we have in nonprofit work to build trust and create empowerment. For me, that’s the basis of coaching – is asking questions and trying to figure out where you are, what’s going on, does that work or does this need to change?”
It was these early mentors who unknowingly introduced her to the power of coaching. “That’s when I started to realize coaching is about holding space, helping people think through what’s working, what’s not, and what’s next.”
Today, Jessica is a coach for nonprofit leaders and teams, offering what she calls a “purposeful pause” in a sector, and world, that rarely slows down. Nonprofit work, she knows from experience, can often feel like putting out daily fires with no time to reflect, dream, or plan for the future. Her coaching through Partner for Better offers leaders a rare moment to pause, breathe, and keep moving forward.
How Coaching Transforms Nonprofit Leadership
“I think my favorite part of coaching is when clients have the aha moment,” Jessica said. “You see someone realize they already have the solution—they just needed time away from the chaos of the day-to-day to figure it out.”
For Jessica, coaching isn’t about giving people answers; it’s about creating space to find their own. She knows how isolating nonprofit leadership can be and how easy it is to think you might be the only one struggling because no one else is saying it out loud.
“Most people just need time away from the onslaught to figure it out,” Jessica said. “So being that sounding board and then watching somebody go, ‘oh yeah, that’s what I want to do’, and just seeing that light bulb click on is powerful. Intentional time to really spend with yourself creates unlimited potential for folks.”
Jessica’s clients are often navigating their own big questions: Am I burned out? Can I grow in this role? Can I grow my organization’s impact? Am I making a difference? Can I stay in this field without sacrificing my well-being?
As a coach, Jessica doesn’t have the answers to these questions, but she helps leaders answer them for themselves.
With sharp wit and the wisdom of someone who’s lived the nonprofit grind, Jessica Macy offers coaching that’s grounded, compassionate, and transformative. Her work doesn’t just help nonprofit professionals survive—it helps them thrive. And she plans to help in whatever way she can, for as long as she can.
“I’m never retiring,” she said. “Work has always been part of my purpose. But recently, my perspective has shifted. I used to believe that my job had to carry deep meaning — that purpose and profession had to be fully aligned. Now, I’m realizing that meaning can come from many places. I still value the work I do, but I’m finding just as much purpose in being a good friend, a supportive spouse, a dedicated volunteer, and a thoughtful person.”
Interested in nonprofit coaching with Jessica at Partner for Better? Connect with us!