OWA member, Jessica Leeson, by workday, is a Director of Business Planning in the VSP Optics Group. But on the weekends, she races in national women's motocross races. How cool is that?! In her years in the optical industry, Jessica has empowered others to achieve their dreams in order to build the most successful teams. She extends this philosophy into her personal life as well. At 30 years old she began riding a dirt bike. In the beginning, she could barely kick the bike over, and many of her friends worried that her newfound hobby might endanger her life.
Jessica naturally took to the sport, and loved the thrill of exploring new places on her bike while challenging herself with both the mechanics and terrain. After riding for two years, her competitive nature pushed her to begin racing. She really, really wanted to be great at racing, but her opportunities were limited as motocross is typically a men's sport, where no women race in the Supercross Pro circuit, and very few race in Outdoor Pro races. Fueled by adrenaline, the challenge, and the necessary physical aptitude needed to race motocross, Jessica worked hard to not only participate in these races, but also to make it to the podium in several of them. Last year, she earned a first-place medal (her first) in the Motocross Grand Prix, the longest race (45 minutes) that she ever participated in.
Jessica loves the fact that motocross gives her the opportunity to give back to many other female riders by teaching them about the sport, empowering them to compete and excel, and watching them flourish as they cross the finish line. Watching the X Games and seeing women like Vikki Golden win is exciting for her and the many other female riders.
Jessica carries her philosophy of empowering women into all aspects of her life. She is on the board of directors for Women's Empowerment, a Sacramento-based non-profit organization that helps women and their children obtain housing and employment. She's built a strong mentorship program on her team at VSP, and she teaches other women about motocross all while promoting and celebrating them (even competitors!). "Giving back is where it's at!" she exclaims! Jessica encourages all OWA members to dedicate a day to serving others and paying forward your knowledge by teaching other women the skills you have acquired. When you do these things and witness the results, you'll become an advocate for women's empowerment too!
If you share Jessica's passion for motocross (or want to), contact her at for more information about the sport. Finally, if you share her passion for women's empowerment, stay tuned to the OWA newsletters because a more in-depth look into this topic will be presented in an edition coming up later this year.
Back to: January 2015 : January 2015 Newsletter