At S&P Global Ratings, Jessica Wood is a Senior Director in the US Public Finance Ratings Group and the sector leader and group spokesperson for the not-for-profit higher education and charter school groups. She is based in Chicago and co-leads a team of education analysts throughout the country. Jessica is actively involved in all aspects of the education practices, including criteria development, and she serves as chair for many education committees. Jessica is also the lead analyst for several high-profile universities. Jessica joined S&P Global in March 2010 and has analytical responsibility for a diverse portfolio of public and private colleges and universities, research institutions, cultural institutions, privatized housing projects, and charter schools throughout the United States.

Prior to joining S&P Global, Jessica worked as an investment banking associate at Lincoln International, coordinating middle market M&A transactions in various sectors, specializing in business services and consumer products. Prior to her tenure at LI, Jessica worked as an investment banking associate director in debt capital markets for J.P. Morgan Chase. 

Jessica has authored numerous publications and special reports on the education sector and is a board member of Chicago’s chapter of Women in Public Finance and also serves on the Women’s Board for Kohl Childrens Museum in Glenview.

Jessica holds an MBA in finance and accounting from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business and a BS in Mathematics and Economics, cum laude, from Wake Forest University.