Dr. Jessica Berry is a bold voice in education, culture, and leadership. As founder of LeadHeritage Co. and The Empowered Leader Incubator, she helps mission-driven women turn legacy into leadership and build impact-driven brands rooted in purpose. A nationally certified speech-language pathologist and expert on Gullah Geechee language and culture, Dr. Berry merges research, advocacy, and entrepreneurship to create space for underrepresented voices to rise. Whether in the classroom, the community, or the boardroom—she leads with faith, fire, and fierce commitment to legacy.

A passionate advocate for linguistic justice and cultural preservation, Dr. Berry has dedicated her research and outreach to elevating the Gullah Geechee language, culture, and history. Her nonprofit, The O.K.R.A. Soup Foundation, empowers Gullah Geechee youth through its flagship initiative, We Been Ya: Geechee Girls Rock, fostering pride and opportunity for speakers of non-mainstream English varieties.

In addition to her academic and nonprofit work, Dr. Berry is also the owner of Garden City Gymnastics, LLC, a thriving business in Orangeburg, SC, that blends community development and youth empowerment.

She is a woman of faith, a wife, and a proud mother of two daughters. Whether she’s leading worship, mentoring emerging leaders, or recording new music, Dr. Berry is guided by a singular mission: to honor legacy, uplift voices, and ignite empowered leadership rooted in authenticity and purpose.