Empathy is at the heart of Jessica McCullum's approach to her career and her life.
The Kailua-Kona native has three children on the spectrum, aged 12, 10, and 3. Her eldest, the namesake for their ʻohana's nonprofit, the Ava Sofia Foundation, is profoundly autistic, nonverbal, with a lifelong disability.
"Iʻve come out ahead in my personal life because not only do I have patience, but I have the humility to understand that what I need to truly support my kids is to experience the world through their eyes and what theyʻre feeling and experiencing," Jessica said. "That empathy really helps me to just connect with anybody in my life."
That includes her real estate clients. "I'm able to keep a calm and objective point of view and provide them with enough information so they feel comfortable making a decision that will change their life," she said.
Born on Oʻahu, Jessica attended Kamehameha Schools Kapālama for high school and college in California, and has a background in corporate legal contracts, with a specialty in technology. She and her husband returned to the Big Island after they had their first child to get support from their extended family.
Seeking a flexible career that would allow her to be available for her children, she leveraged her contract experience into a flourishing real estate career. She did so with the support of a family-built business founded by her mother, Derinda Thatcher, a REALTOR® broker.
Jessica initially joined her mom as a REALTOR® at Coldwell Banker Island Properties, but recently began working at Keller Williams Big Island with their admin team, leading the technology and innovations sector.
Through her career and extensive community ties, Jessica recognized a need for more resources and connections for parents of children with autism. In 2018, she founded Autism Moms of Kona.
The 501c3 organization now boasts about 670 members and 120 families, including 120 kids in Kona, 45 in Hilo, and 10 in Waiʻanae on Oʻahu. The organization helps families of any keiki who need assistance to achieve their developmental goals, not just those with autism.
