Jess Grainger

Jess Grainger is the Regional Director for Disability Lead’s new chapter in Southwest Pennsylvania.  He brings a deep background in education and workforce development to building a strong, visible presence for disability leadership in the region. Jess has significant experience piloting new initiatives that enhance equitable impacts in education, mental health, and accessibility. 

Jess holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of California, Berkeley, and a master’s degree from Teachers College at Columbia University. He began his career as a New York City educator, advocating for students with learning differences before launching innovative young adult support programs in multiple cities. His work is rooted in human-centered design and lived experience in the disability space. 

His experience spans foundations, nonprofits, and public-private partnerships. He served as a program officer and school/district liaison for the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, a tech-focused foundation. There he advanced the organization’s efforts around Web Content Accessibility Guidelines. In Pittsburgh, Jess collaborated with regional foundations and nonprofits on major workforce and education initiatives, including Partner4Work’s Career Ready Allegheny. Throughout his career, he has excelled at bringing stakeholders together to build diverse leadership pipelines and foster systemic change.

  A Pittsburgh transplant, Jess is passionate about helping the region become a national model for disability empowerment and leadership. Before joining Disability Lead, he served on the board of an anti-bullying initiative and as a charter member of the League of New Samaritans. Now, as a 2025 Disability Lead Fellow, he is eager to help drive impact in his new home, ensuring Disability Lead’s expansion reflects the unique needs and strengths of Southwestern Pennsylvania’s disability and workforce communities.