Jessica Loeper began serving as assistant county manager in April 2023 and is responsible for overseeing the functions of several county departments: Planning & Land Use, Soil & Water Conservation District, Parks & Gardens, the Arboretum, Recycling & Solid Waste, Cape Fear Museum, and the Public Library.
She began her career with New Hanover County in 2016 as part of the Communications and Outreach Department and became the county's chief communications officer in January 2019. She served in that role until April 2023 when she was promoted to assistant county manager.
Her background is in communications and nonprofit development in both Wilmington and Charlotte. Prior to working with the county, she worked with Cape Fear Habitat for Humanity and the Charlotte Regional Realtor Association’s Housing Foundation.
Loeper received a B.A. in Journalism and Mass Communications from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, with a concentration in Public Relations. She is a graduate of WILMA's Leadership Institute, the UNCW/NHC SERVE Professional Development Academy, and UNCW's Academy for Strategic Management.
In 2019, she received WILMA Magazine's Women to Watch Award in the public service category and was also honored by the Wilmington Chamber of Commerce and Star News Media's "40 Under 40" Award.
As a native to the area, she has a great passion for New Hanover County and the many programs and services offered to residents. And among the many wonderful things to do in our county, she loves going to the area's beaches and being on the water with her family.