Jesse Bounds was appointed as the City of Houston’s first Innovation Director in August 2016. As Innovation Director, Jesse leads the Mayor’s Office of Innovation in efforts to modernize city services, foster a culture of innovation and bring new, creative solutions to the City’s most-pressing challenges.
Over the last twelve years, he has moved up through the ranks at City Hall serving in various capacities for the City’s Chief Executive. As an Operations Analyst and Assistant Chief of Staff to Mayor Bill White, he launched the City’s performance management program and facilitated major cross-departmental initiatives. Under Mayor Annise Parker, he led the City’s Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone (TIRZ) program, overseeing nearly $140 million each year in economic development projects throughout the City. Most recently, he served as the Director of the Performance Improvement Division, an internal consulting team tasked with business process improvements, performance management, and strategic planning.
Jesse is a Lean Six Sigma Black Belt and a User Experience (UX) expert with a dogged passion to improve the city and enhance the lives of Houstonians. He received his Master of Business Administration from the University of Houston and his Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and International Studies from the University of St. Thomas. In his free time, he enjoys running and spending time with his wife, Gloria and their two sons.