Jeanmarie Grimsley

Change Agent, Concerned citizen, Connector, Foodie, Idea generator, Parent, Web guru, Writer/Editor

A Washington, D.C. native, Jean came to Jacksonville via New York, where she was a book editor at Time Warner and then Penguin Books. Specializing in commercial fiction and non-fiction, she has worked with over 100 published authors, including many with extended stays on the NYT bestseller list. In recent years, Jean has committed herself to neighborhood activism and community service, and has served on several boards, including Riverside Avondale Preservation, The Jacksonville Historical Society, the St. Vincent's Healthcare Foundation, and TEDxJacksonville. In those positions, she authored multiple strategic plans, built several non-profit websites, wrote and produced the city’s first digital walking tour, created and chaired the Restore Jacksonville conference, co-chaired a charitable two-day food and wine event that netted over $300,000 for a vitally important mobile health ministry, and helped create the popular Riverside Arts Market, a weekly destination arts and food market now in its 15th year. Having volunteered with TEDxJacksonville since its inception in 2012, Jean became TEDxJAX’s Executive Producer & Co-organizer in 2022. TEDxJAX’s upcoming conference will take place Jan. 17. 2026. Her husband, Richard, is a surgeon with OrthoEdge; their adult twins are Sophie and Nick.

Making connections between people that enhance our community and promote positive change.

Never build yourself up by putting other people down.

Doug talked me into it!

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