Knowing the devastation inflicted by the war on drugs—particularly for vulnerable populations—Jessie Dunleavy is an advocate for drug policy reform and is committed to combating stigma and other impediments to humane and effective strategies to reduce the harms of drug use.
In coming to terms with the loss of her son Paul, the injustices he endured and the realization that his death was preventable, she found solace in the commitment of those whose advocacy preceded hers. Grounded in science and dedicated to justice, these researchers, journalists, physicians, and human rights workers restored her hope, a hope that humanity and compassion could triumph over the criminalization and marginalization of those who suffer.
Beyond lending her voice through opinion editorials, speaking engagements, broadcast interviews, and social media, she has joined forces with like-minded groups at the national, state, and local levels including the Drug Policy Alliance, the Drug Policy Workgroup for The People’s Commission to Decriminalize Maryland, and the Maryland Harm Reduction Action Network, and she lobbies for her cause within the Maryland General Assembly.
She has a master’s degree in library and information science and served as an academic librarian for nearly a decade prior to having her two children, Keely and Paul, and devoting herself to full-time motherhood for several years. As a school administrator in a pre-kindergarten through grade twelve college preparatory school, a position she held for thirty years, her work entailed community outreach as well as written communication that ranged from newsletters and website content to a blog in which she offered general parenting advice on a wide range of topics.
She lives in her hometown, Annapolis, Maryland.