Eventually, she moved back to New York and taught at a charter school in Ithaca until, drawn by her interest in economic development, she began working for IncubatorWorks, which operates business incubators and supports entrepreneurial ventures in western New York. There, her supervisor recognized her creative strengths, encouraging her to take on social media responsibilities and providing her with the opportunities to develop her skills.
When the job opened at the Corning Area Chamber of Commerce, she applied and won the position.
“It’s nice to feel like you’ve landed somewhere,” she says. “I get to continue working with small business, which I love, and working for a better future for the Corning/Elmira area.”
Corning isn’t far from Alfred University, but economic development seems at first a far cry from the field of creative writing. Jodi, however, says she’s happy to have studied the writing of fiction and poetry. Her writing practice prepared her for her current work, which involves a great deal of writing and communication skills.
As an undergraduate, she almost decided to set aside her interest in writing. “It was my only love,” she says, “but I didn’t feel it was a path forward for me.”
She met with her mentor, English Professor Susan Morehouse and recalls Morehouse telling her, “You obviously love to write, and you need to keep doing it.”
She followed Morehouse’s advice, and now, looking back, she says sticking with what she loved as an undergraduate was one of her best decisions. “Professor Morehouse gave me the encouragement that I needed. Sometimes mentorship can just be about saying the right thing to someone at the right time.”
She has some related advice for current undergraduates and high school students preparing for their years as college students.
“I want to tell them all the time to try anything that interests them. Whatever job you find yourself in, your skills will compound and serve you eventually.”
She promotes Chamber of Commerce events through social media, organizes ribbon cuttings for new businesses, and oversees “Own It,” an annual conference that brings together approximately 200 women for a day of professional development and meaningful connections.
