2023 COMMUNITY IMPACT AWARD
JESSICA PECK
Peck is a Clinical Nursing Professor at Baylor University in Dallas, Texas. She holds active credentials as a Pediatric Nurse Practitioner, Certified Nurse Educator, and Clinical Nurse Leader, and is recognized for her ability to consistently provide innovative, visionary, and award-winning nurse leadership. She was Texas Nurse Practitioner of the Year in 2019 and is a Distinguished Alumna of the University of Alabama and the University of Texas Medical Branch. Two-time Hall of Fame Inductee for nursing journal article of the year, Peck holds the Elite Honorary Designation of Fellow from the American Association of Nurse Practitioners and the American Academy of Nursing.
She has made a significant impact on her community by advocating for the well-being of children and vulnerable individuals. Most notably, she is an international anti-trafficking advocate who, as President of the National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners, founded the Alliance for Children in Trafficking. She also consulted for the U.S. Congress and collaborated with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to establish core competencies for healthcare professionals caring for trafficking survivors.
Peck is the Lead Medical Consultant for Unbound Houston, a nonprofit fighting human trafficking in Greater Houston through prevention, training, and survivor support. Her leadership led to the passage of House Bill 2059, mandating trafficking education for Texas care providers. She’s educated 50,000 nurses with a CE program designed in collaboration with the Texas Department of Health and Human Services. “Communities are the lifeblood of human connection,” said Peck. “Nurse practitioners are a powerful leading force to deliver messages of hope and build pathways of healing. Helen Keller said it best: ‘Alone, we can do so little; Together, we can do so much.’ I sincerely thank every community neighbor and partner who has joined in the fight against human trafficking. I owe a special debt of gratitude to Unbound Now Houston, who served as a catalyst for my journey as a nurse advocate.”
She is a frequently requested national speaker on anti-trafficking and child health promotion. She has given over 300 presentations to various audiences and is a frequent guest on radio, television, and other media. To date, Peck has published over 50 clinical articles for peer-reviewed journals, is a regular contributor to parenting magazines, and is currently editing the world’s first interprofessional pediatric COVID-19 textbook. She is the author of Behind Closed Doors: A Guide for Parents and Teens to Navigate Through Life’s Toughest Issues, released by W Publishing and ranked #1 new release on Amazon.
