Celebrating 22 Years as Barrington’s Signature Magazine
Celebrating 22 Years as Barrington’s Signature Magazine
Ask Jessica Swoyer Green what it means to be a good citizen, and her answer is simple.
“I think it just means being a good neighbor,” she says. “Being active and engaged. With community comes responsibility. And so, it means to give back in the ways that I can.”
Named the Barrington Area Development Council’s 2026 Citizen of the Year, Jessica represents a generation of leaders honoring those who came before them while making room for new voices. Her approach is less about recognition, and more about encouraging participation and building relationships that strengthen community life.
Jessica grew up surrounded by examples of hard work, generosity, and civic responsibility. Her grandfather, Richard L. Duchossois, built a remarkable business legacy while remaining devoted to family, country, and community. Her mother, Kim Duchossois, the 2008 BADC Citizen of the Year, demonstrates leadership through philanthropy and relationships.
From her grandfather, affectionately called “Boppa,” Jessica remembers an extraordinary work ethic and his familiar advice: “Don’t expect what you didn’t inspect.”
“He was very encouraging of us to go out and do whatever it is that we wanted to do,” she recalls. “If there’s anything that I learned from him, it was service, commitment to country, and family.”
Her mother’s influence was equally profound. “My Mom has always led with compassion, with empathy,” Jessica says. Kim’s kindness, humility, and gift for building relationships helped establish a foundation for Jessica’s own community work.
“I am so fortunate for the path that she paved,” Jessica says. “I don’t think I would have been able to do half the amount of work that I’ve been able to do without her.”
Yet Jessica understands that a family name is no substitute for personal contribution. The values she inherited matter most when translated to action.
Jessica’s understanding of service developed at home and abroad. She studied dance at the University of Illinois and art criticism at City University in London (now City St George’s, University of London).
She and her husband, Dominic, spent six and a half months backpacking through Southeast and East Asia before settling in the United States. “Having traveled and seeing the shared humanity in all of us,” she explains, has shaped her understanding of people from different backgrounds.
While living in Chicago, she volunteered with Upwardly Global, helping legal immigrants, refugees, and asylees reconnect with professional careers in the United States. Motherhood also deepened her commitment to service. Raising sons Henry and Oliver prompted her to consider how children growing up with advantages could develop empathy and responsibility.
“I’ve been blessed with this,” she says of her opportunities and resources. “Therefore, I must do good work with it.”
Jessica’s civic work reflects her belief that community begins with understanding. Following the divisiveness of the 2016 election, she joined Claire Nelson and Rev. Zina Jacque in developing “A Year of Courageous Conversations,” an initiative encouraging participants to examine assumptions, listen carefully, and engage across differences.
“We were interested in bringing people to the table and to help them go inside themselves—to learn more about themselves in order to be prepared to listen and learn with others,” Jessica explains.
The experience reinforced something she had long sensed about Barrington. “We have a lot of people in this community who feel deeply and want to contribute,” she says. “People are hungry for authentic connection within their community.”
That conviction also inspired Barrington Civic Leaders, developed with her mother and other community leaders to build deeper skills in inclusive leadership while encouraging involvement among emerging and established professionals and volunteers. For Jessica, developing leaders means expanding participation and preparing community institutions for the future.
Jessica’s philosophy raises a fundamental question: Who feels welcome in Barrington, and whose voices are missing? Through the “We Belong to Each Other” initiative, she helped promote the idea that neighbors share responsibilities toward one another, regardless of their differences.
“Community can be thought of as one’s extended family, she says. “It’s who we’re sharing our lives with. We’re in this together at the best of times and the worst.”
She believes digital habits and crowded schedules can make genuine connection difficult. Her prescription is straightforward: volunteer, participate in clubs, share meals, and create welcoming places where relationships can develop.
“If we got off of the internet and into each other’s living rooms, we’d be in a much better place,” she says. Equally important is including people whose voices are seldom heard. “Get more people to the table,” she says, expressing a principle central to her work.
Jessica recognizes that Barrington’s tradition of civic involvement extends far beyond any one family. Growing up here, she encountered people whose dedication helped shape her understanding of citizenship. She believes the next generation must have opportunities to contribute and lead.
For Jessica, the satisfaction comes from working alongside others and seeing something worthwhile taking shape. “Everything is collaborative,” she says. “You can’t go it alone.”
Her Citizen of the Year recognition honors that commitment while pointing toward a broader definition of leadership—one grounded in humility, curiosity, and action.
“Whatever your form of service is, just do it,” Jessica says. “It doesn’t have to look like everybody else’s. Everybody has a unique gift.”
Perhaps that is Jessica’s most quintessential quality: her belief that communities grow stronger through the contributions of many—and that being a good neighbor is where it all begins.
I have known Jessica since our days at St. Anne School. She is thoughtful and kind, but her real super-power is in the way she shares these traits with our community. From the Courageous Conversation series to the Barrington Civic Leaders program, she is always looking for ways to bring the community together to learn and grow. Jessica is a great listener, has the very best laugh, and the most wonderful heart. She inspires me and so many others to take active roles in our community. Our community is better because she is in it and I am lucky to call her a friend.
Jess and I met one snowy evening in Chicago, and I am forever grateful that we did. I was writing an article about The Gentleman Farmer, the farm she and her husband Dominic founded in Barrington Hills many years ago and wanted to hear their story firsthand. I was struck by the clarity of their vision and their dedication to seeing it through. What I didn’t know then but have confirmed many times over in the intervening years, is that Jess brings that same beautiful energy to everything she does.
If you’re lucky enough to know Jess too, you know she has a remarkable way of making everyone she meets feel welcome and seen. Her broad smile and hearty laugh are disarming, and her intelligence is fierce. She’s one of the most genuinely curious and warm people I’ve ever met. From sharing simple dinners together and seeing her adventure with her boys to watching her shine in her roles with Interfaith America and Courageous Conversations, I’ve loved watching Jess live out her values. It’s an absolute joy to know her. PS—Jess also makes a mean guacamole, so if you ever come up against her in a guac-off, be very afraid.
I am honored to share a few words about a remarkable human being! When I first arrived in Barrington a little over two years ago as the new Director of Cultural Affairs, I was constantly asked the same question: “Have you met Jess Green?” When I’d reply, “No, not yet… it’s only my first day,” the response was always immediate; “Oh, you really need to meet Jess!” So, I reached out. And I am so incredibly glad I did!
I was instantly inspired by her energy, kindness, intellect, curiosity, and love for our community and the world. I was particularly moved by her passion for justice and equality. Jess leads by example and serves as a guidepost for us all, seamlessly blending vision and compassion to foster an inclusive and welcoming community.
Recently named the BADC Citizen of the Year, Jess has spent years building bridges across social and cultural divides. Through Courageous Conversations, she transformed Barrington into a regional hub for vital dialogue on race, equity, and belonging. Her work co-founding the Barrington Civic Leaders program continues to strengthen our community by facilitating crucial discussions about leadership, culture, and society. And her tireless philanthropic and board service transforms lives in profound and tangible ways. Simply put…Thank You, Jess Green, for making this world a better place!
What has always stood out to me about Jess is her tireless commitment to empowering the voiceless, advocating in the rooms where decisions are made, and listening deeply before taking action. She understands that meaningful change requires more than good intentions. It requires showing up, doing the difficult work, and challenging the status quo to create a more equitable and inclusive community.
Her leadership reflects tremendous thoughtfulness, purpose, and an unwavering commitment to others. She brings both the courage to speak up and the humility to listen without assumptions, recognizing that the people most affected by decisions deserve to have their voices heard and valued. Her work is never about recognition; it is rooted in a genuine commitment to humanity.
Jess has chosen to do the heavy lifting because she believes in what is possible when people feel seen, heard, and supported. I witness the ripple effect of her advocacy in my own work and throughout our broader community. Her influence extends far beyond any one effort, creating lasting change in the lives of others. I find her work both beautiful and inspiring and am grateful to witness the difference she continues to make.
Jess is an amazing and dedicated community member, philanthropist, and friend who truly embodies the meaning of giving back. She is always looking for ways to improve the lives of others, whether through donating, volunteering, or bringing people together to address unmet needs in our community.
Jess has helped form a group dedicated to supporting schools, families, and individuals facing immediate needs that may fall outside the scope of existing organizations. She recognizes that even when resources are available for many challenges, there are still gaps, and she is always looking for ways to fill them.
Jess has also been a long-time supporter of Barrington Giving Day and our mission. She is someone I can turn to for advice, share ideas with, and count on for encouragement and support. Her generosity extends far beyond what she gives; it is reflected in the time, thoughtfulness, and compassion she brings to everything she does. I feel incredibly fortunate to call Jess a friend. Our community is a better place because of her caring heart, philanthropic spirit, and unwavering commitment to helping others.
There are people who live in a community, and then there are people who make a community come alive. Jessica Swoyer Green is the latter.
I have had the privilege of knowing Jessica as a co-founder and co-conspirator. Together, with Barrington native Claire Nelson, we built “A Year of Courageous Conversations”—a speaker series focused on belonging and inclusion that was supposed to run for one year and outran everyone’s expectations, lasting five. But that’s what happens when Jessica puts her mind to work on a mission and her shoulder to creating something larger than a dream. You see, Jess doesn’t dabble, she commits—and that commitment makes a difference.
What you may not know is that her commitment runs deep in every direction. She has served on the Interfaith America board for a decade. She is in the room at Chicago Public Media where decisions about journalism and public trust get made. And she has moved to create a space for Barrington leaders to create a synergistic force through the Barrington Civic Leaders Cohort.
Jessica is a bridgebuilder. She is a quiet, fierce keeper of this community’s conscience. She is a woman that is true to her word and her values. This woman of purpose and passion doesn’t seek the spotlight. She just keeps doing the work until the light finds her. Through QB, the light shines on a Barrington luminary, and we are all the better for it.
I cannot imagine anyone more deserving of this honor than Jessica. I have been fortunate to work alongside Jessica on several community efforts, most recently as a fellow board member of the Barrington Area Development Council (BADC). I am even more fortunate to call her my friend.
I have never met a more generous or thoughtful person. Jessica gives her time, talent, and treasure both here at home and around the world, and she never turns away someone in need. What impresses me most is how quietly she does it. I know of some of her good deeds, but none of us will ever know the full extent of what she has done for others, because she never seeks recognition for any of it.
Jess is always looking for ways to make things better, whether for an organization or for a neighbor. She cares deeply, sees the best in people, and her wheels are always turning as she figures out the next way to do good. As a friend, she is honest, thoughtful and always there when it matters. I admire and respect her more than I can say.
Our community is lucky to have Jessica working so hard to make the Barrington area a kinder, more caring place.
Jess has been a quiet activist for decades, and even as a middle and high schooler, she showed interest in what was going on in the world around her and took notes from people in her life who lived with purpose. As young adults, Jess and Dom were early supporters of causes near and dear to them, paving a path of noticing, listening, learning, and participating. Over the years we have watched Jess move into leadership roles, leaving a lasting impression on our community—so much so that she was selected in 2026 as BADC’s “Citizen of the Year,” one of the youngest in the history of the award. We are particularly proud of her work with the multi-year White House series, Courageous Conversations, where she perfected her skills as a researcher, interviewer, and commentator.
She introduced our family to The Telos Group in Washington, D.C., which lead to some of us joining their Southern Tour of Civil Rights and Slavery History. It was one of the most impactful trips we have ever taken.
Jess’ smile says it all. She is full of warmth and kindness, and when she is with you, you have her full attention. She is a natural-born leader, and we are so fortunate that she has made her hometown her home!
Jess Green is a civic innovator, someone who quietly and thoughtfully works to make her community and the world a better place. I came to know Jess more closely when she and Claire Nelson began developing Courageous Community at Barrington’s White House. Along with Zina Jacque, they helped create a groundbreaking civic dialogue program designed to bring people together for difficult conversations across the divides in our society. By inviting distinguished national and international speakers, they expanded perspectives and challenged our community to listen, learn, and engage with one another in meaningful ways.
Through initiatives such as Barrington Civic Leaders, which she co-founded with her mother, Kim, and programs that encourage dialogue across differences, she is helping cultivate the skills and understanding needed to build a more inclusive society. Her involvement reflects a genuine pursuit of truth, a curiosity about the world, and a belief that deep listening and mutual respect can help us find common ground.
I serve alongside Jess on the Barrington Area Development Council, where I value her wisdom, thoughtful questions, and willingness to explore challenging issues. She brings vision and conviction to her work, balanced by humility, generosity, and a wonderful sense of humor.
An adventurous traveler and lifelong learner, Jess keeps family at the center of her life. She leads not by seeking the spotlight, but by bringing people together and inspiring lasting change.
Jessica brings care, vision, courage, and commitment to everything she does for the people she cares about. What makes her a quintessential leader is how expansive that circle of care is: family, friends, the Barrington community, people of all faiths, people whose lives and experiences differ from her own, and anyone else who can benefit from her support.
During a Courageous Conversations dialogue facilitation a few years ago, I asked Jess to take on a role a bit beyond her comfort zone. She initially hesitated, but immediately asked how it would help the audience. Once she understood how her story could help others, she prioritized that benefit over her discomfort. That moment captures something I deeply admire about her: her commitment to making the world better consistently takes precedence over the challenges she faces in fulfilling it. Working alongside her for several years, I have seen her dedication to ensuring everyone’s voice is heard, everyone feels they belong, and everyone takes responsibility for doing the work to make the world better for others.
Jess puts her care for people into action and inspires others to do the same. Barrington benefits from her generosity, her vision, and the heart she brings to everything she does.
When I observe Jess in action, I know that the outcome of any focus at hand will only be good! I had the greatest opportunity of really getting to know Jess during A Year of Courageous Conversations. Her passion and enthusiasm show in her efforts of fostering inclusion and belonging, and to greater discussions and teachings that only strengthen our community. I continue to follow her leadership with the Barrington Civic Leaders cohort group. She continues to create even more awareness about issues at the forefront that many may choose to push to the side, and that the art of transparency and diversity allows us to belong in much greater ways,
reinforcing the best outcomes for our Barrington community.
No matter how sensitive or serious a discussion topic may be, Jess still shows up with her smile that immediately reinforces the good and the positive that we all need to feel and know. She is an incredible leader, an energizing force standing greater than the 5-foot-something frame that she lives in, and just an all-around good person doing so much good in our community. What a well-deserved honor. Congratulations!
Jessica Sowyer Green is a true community champion whose warm smile, passion for helping others, and unwavering commitment to building a stronger, more cohesive community inspires everyone around her. Jess believes in creating a community where everyone truly belongs.
I have had the pleasure of working alongside Jess on her Belonging Campaign, serving with her on the Development Council, and learning through Courageous Conversations. I have also been fortunate to be a
recipient of her generosity through her support of BYFS, too. I have witnessed firsthand her genuine desire to make a meaningful difference in the lives of others. Our community is incredibly fortunate to have Jess as a champion for belonging, connection, and positive change. I am equally fortunate to have the opportunity to work alongside her—and even more grateful to call her a friend.
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