Jesse was born and raised in Lawrence, Kansas, a university town with much in common with State College, and where he was educated by Lawrence’s public school system. He went on to complete a B.A. from the University of Kansas in Mathematics and Computer Science and Ph.D. in Computer Science from Northwestern University. Jesse moved to State College to accept a position in what is now the Computer Science and Engineering Department at Penn State, where he served for many years before retiring in 2023.

A resident of the South Borough neighborhood of State College since 2003, Jesse served as a member of Borough Council for two terms between 2016 and 2024. He is a widower and the proud father of two grown children, both educated by State College Area schools. His daughter Hilary graduated from what is now Delta High School and his son Zack from State High. His favorite hobbies are hiking and reading.