About the Grove founders

Born and raised on the East Coast, Katie Hearn developed her interest in community service in high school, when she volunteered building homes in the Dominican Republic. This passion blossomed into a career in social work after Katie earned her Bachelor of Arts in psychology at Union College and her Master of Social Work from Columbia University. As a clinical social worker, Katie worked in schools, community agencies, and eventually her own private psychotherapy practice, specializing in adolescents. Over her 15+ years in practice, Katie saw the distressing rise in adolescent depression and anxiety. Driven by her desire to help youth flourish outside of the therapy room, she co-founded The Grove Project. Katie is now able to marry her advocacy for adolescent mental health, youth development, and community service. She, her husband John, and their two daughters live in Madison, NJ.

After earning her Bachelor of Science in sociology at The University of South Carolina, Tricia Jessen committed to a year of service through Hands on Atlanta AmeriCorps, deepening her understanding and passion for serving women and children in need. While pursuing her master’s degree in counseling at Georgia State University, Tricia worked with students seeking personal and career counseling in a university setting and with children in Atlanta in individual and group settings, helping them improve their social skills for positive connections with their peers. After having her own children, Tricia has been actively engaged in her children's school community. Bringing her education, career in service, and personal experience together, she co-founded The Grove Project to provide local youth the opportunity to engage in service, while improving their own wellbeing. Tricia, her husband Jeremy, and their two daughters live in Madison, NJ.