Schmidt joined Northstar in July 2023. In her role as the Director of Academics, Schmidt is responsible for academic advising, student affairs and educational leadership. Schmidt began her journey by earning her Bachelor’s in Elementary Education from St. Cloud State University. From there, she earned her Master’s in Educational Leadership and Administration from Grand Canyon University. Among her qualifications, Schmidt has her Minnesota Teaching License and is a certified ACSI Principal, which allows her to be a principal for grades K-12. Schmidt started out her education career at Life Christian School, a preK-12th grade school in Aloha, OR. She began as a general education teacher in upper elementary.  From there, she was promoted to  administration where she served as Athletic Director and then moved into the Principal role.  In 2020, Schmidt moved back to Minnesota where she served as the Assistant Director of Academics at Northstar until August 2021. While serving in her first stint at Northstar, Schmit provided strategic direction in the school system, monitored student achievements and made sure students were following NCAA regulations. From 2021 to 2023, Schmidt held the role of Special Education Teacher for the Alexandria Area School District where she would build connections with students with disabilities and their families to advocate for their specialized education plan. Jessica is married to Eric Schmidt who is a worship pastor at The Church in the Pines in Alexandria.  Together, they have four children: Kobe, Gavyn, Fiona and Milo.