Jess Solomon, MSOD

Pronouns

she/her

What do you do as a consultant/coach?

As an organizational development practitioner, cultural worker, and coach, I focus on integrating collective wisdom, creativity, and culture into how groups and leaders tackle challenges, shape solutions, and build sustainable, equitable organizational cultures. As the Principal at Culture Rules Everything (formerly Art in Praxis), I work across arts and culture, social justice, and philanthropy to help progressive organizations grow their capacity, adaptability, and infrastructure for more care and imagination.

I support organizations through change management, strategic planning, team development, leadership transitions, and organizational culture consulting. My work often involves leading workshops, retreats, and long-term processes that center racial equity, liberatory practices, and cultural competence. As a coach, I support individual leaders—especially Black women leaders—in refining their visions, navigating complexity, and cultivating creative, resilient strategies for systemic impact.

What is your approach? 

My consulting and coaching approach is deeply participatory and iterative. I often draw on creative methods and a variety of theoretical frameworks to help my clients navigate transitions, enhance team dynamics, and improve operational effectiveness. I love experience design, facilitation, and developing practices that build community and culture within organizations.

How has your experience/background contributed to your work?

In 2008, I found myself at a pivotal intersection: I was deep in an experiential Organization Development (OD) graduate program while also devising and producing community theater with a group of Black women in DC called The Saartjie Project. This was a period of immense growth for me, both as a cultural organizer and an OD practitioner. I realized that these two worlds needed to inform one another—change theory and group dynamics were calling for storytelling, and culture had the power to make theoretical concepts more accessible and relatable.

This led me to experiment with blending these approaches, organizing initiatives that connected cultural workers with social justice organizations. Around the same time, I was introduced to radical philanthropy—first as a grantee and then as a grantmaker with the Diverse City Fund. These experiences not only sharpened my skills but also showed me firsthand the power of culture in moving communities toward justice.

From there, I embarked on a journey of over a decade driving significant change across nonprofit, arts, and philanthropic sectors. My work has been deeply rooted in the use of creativity and culture as tools to foster belonging, cultivate equity, and sustain communities. This foundation has given me a nuanced understanding of both the limits and the potential within these spaces, guiding my practice as a consultant and coach today.

Relevant certifications or trainings

  • American University, Master of Science, Organization Development, 2009
  • Executive Transitions Management Certification, Compass Point Nonprofit Services
  • Planning Academy, Baltimore Department of Planning
  • Blooming Willow, International Coaching Federation, Certified Coach
  • Experience Design Certification (2025), Odyssey Works

Sample clients

Threewalls, Funders for LGBTQ Issues, National Arts Strategies (NAS), Bay Area Cultural Funders for Equity (BACFE), Baltimore Children & Youth Fund, Emergent Fund