Jessica Nicole Butler

Jessica Nicole Butler is a doctoral-level policy researcher, educator, and consultant specializing in education equity, disability policy, and institutional compliance.

She is a Doctoral Candidate at George Washington University’s Graduate School of Education and Human Development, where her research focuses on postsecondary access, resilience, and systemic barriers for students navigating the intersection of race, disability, and socioeconomic status. Her work is grounded in mixed-methods research that integrates large-scale survey data with in-depth qualitative inquiry.

Professionally, Jessica is a Research Specialist at George Washington University and a secondary educator with extensive experience in special education, transition planning, and compliance under IDEA, Section 504, Title IX, and ESSA.

She currently works on a Hewlett Foundation–funded policy initiative supporting a $2.4 million, three-year grant focused on democratic education, civic participation, and equity in public education systems. Her role includes federal and state policy analysis, research synthesis, and the development of policy deliverables intended to inform large-scale systems change.

Her expertise allows her to operate at the intersection of research, policy, and practice—helping institutions move from theory to implementation with clarity and confidence.

Positionality

Jessica approaches policy work as a Black woman scholar-practitioner whose lived experience informs her understanding of how institutions function and where they fail.

This positionality shapes her commitment to centering marginalized voices while maintaining rigorous analytical and compliance standards.

Equity, in her work, is not ideology. It is a policy obligation, a legal requirement, and a moral responsibility. The firm prioritizes solutions that are justice-oriented and institutionally defensible.