Jesse, a native of Staten Island, joined her high school track team as a freshman, and won multiple Staten Island and New York City championships in the 55, 300, 600 and 1000, and was a state champion in the 600. During her stellar career at the University of Pennsylvania, Jesse was a two-time All American. Jesse was the East Regional 800 champion her senior year, and won four individual Heps titles, five individual ECAC titles, and ran the anchor leg on numerous Heps and ECAC champion relays. Jesse holds Penn school records indoors and outdoors in the 400, 500, and 800, and was a member of relay squads that set school records in the 4 x 400, 4 x 800, sprint medley, and distance medley. Jesse ran professionally for Nike from 2008-2010, and placed third in the 800 at the 2009 Indoor USA Championships. While a graduate student at Penn, Jesse qualified for the US Championships in 2010, 2011, 2013, and 2014. Jesse earned a Ph.D. in Pharmacology from Penn in 2014, and works as a postdoctoral fellow at the National Institutes of Health.
Personal Bests
400 open – 53.4
400 relay split – 52.6
800 – 2:03.46
Mile – 4:42