Jacques Hebert

VP Communication, The McKnight Foundation

Jacques Hebert is a seasoned communications strategist and public affairs leader with two decades of experience driving mission-aligned storytelling across philanthropy, media, climate, and policy. Currently the Communications Director at the McKnight Foundation, he leads messaging that advances the Foundation’s commitment to a more just, creative, and abundant future. From his time at YouTube and Mother Jones to shaping narrative strategy for major coalitions in Louisiana’s coastal resilience work, Jacques has built a career around helping organizations find their voice and use it to drive real-world change.

His approach blends strategic clarity with deep empathy, elevating communications as a force for systems-level impact. Whether he's leading a team through crisis response, co-hosting the Delta Dispatches podcast, or championing team-based development at McKnight, Jacques brings heart, humor, and a steady hand to the work of navigating change. At his core, he’s a storyteller who believes the right message – rooted in truth and culture – can move people and missions alike.

Culture as a Backbone in Chaotic Times: How Internal Culture Fuels Adaptation to the Changing World Around Us

When climate action and equity work are under siege, some organizations retreat. Others double down. In this powerful conversation, leaders from McKnight Foundation and ARCx share how they’ve treated internal culture not as decoration, but as essential infrastructure for navigating complexity, upholding values, and responding boldly to challenge. Jacques Hebert, Andrea Robb, and Allan Silva will explore what it means to design culture as a living operating system, using tools like Ken Wilber’s Integral Model, team-based coaching, and cross-functional alignment to build internal cohesion, fortify brand trust, and lead with purpose in politically charged times. This is not a session about slogans. It’s about the deep work of building resilient, courageous teams together.