Supporting Nonprofit Leaders Through Crisis, Leadership, and Change
20+ Years Nonprofit Leadership | CEO | Global Humanitarian Experience & Certified Executive Coach
Jessica (Ayden) Li is a nonprofit strategist and certified executive coach who helps organizations navigate complex leadership challenges and build cultures rooted in diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB).
She is the Co-Founder and Principal Consultant of Healing Equity United, where she partners with nonprofits to strengthen leadership, transform organizational culture, and navigate pivotal moments of change. Jess also serves as the CEO of Vets in Vans, a nonprofit bringing accessible veterinary care directly to pets and families in lower-income communities. Jess is often called upon during pivotal moments—leadership transitions, financial instability, organizational conflict, or staff burnout—helping nonprofits stabilize, rebuild trust, and move forward with greater clarity and resilience.
About Jess
Jess’s career has always focused on supporting communities that have historically been pushed to the margins. She has spent more than two decades working at the intersection of nonprofit leadership, social justice, and community power—supporting organizations and movements addressing violence, inequality, and systemic barriers.
She previously served as CEO of San Francisco SafeHouse, where she led an organization providing transitional housing and support to survivors of sex trafficking. Before that, she was the Executive Director of the Asian/Pacific Islander Domestic Violence Resource Project in Washington, D.C., expanding culturally responsive services for survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault.
Earlier in her career, Jess worked in international humanitarian aid with the United Nations Mission in Sudan and the International Rescue Committee, supporting internally displaced communities, refugees, and civic engagement initiatives. Jess is known for asking hard questions and helping leaders navigate the conversations organizations often avoid. Before launching her consulting practice, she served as Director of Impact Initiatives at LeaderSpring Center, supporting nonprofit executives of color as they strengthened their leadership and organizations.
Jess is deeply engaged in philanthropy and movement building. She co-founded the API Giving Project, serves on the boards of the Asian Women’s Shelter and is a member of the Advisory Council for the API Institute on Gender-Based Violence.
Jess holds a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science and International Relations from Syracuse University’s Maxwell School, an MPA from Cornell University, and an Executive MBA from Brown University.
When she’s not working, Jess is often training dogs, traveling, or being thoroughly supervised by her two rescue pups, Hansyn and Kobe.