Hello there...

I'm Jess – a journalist, editor, researcher, and digital strategist.

I have worked in local newsrooms and at global websites; for long-established publishers, emerging start-ups, and respected research institutions. I am most passionate about audience-supported models for journalism, and the myriad forms that support can take.

I am currently Membership Editor for The Bureau of Investigative Journalism in the UK.

Prior to this, I was a consultant and mentor for newsrooms around the world as they developed membership and/or crowdfunding initiatives, and have worked with newsrooms in countries including Hungary, India, Russia, Serbia, Spain, and Ukraine.

I was an editor, researcher, and coach for The Membership Puzzle Project - a public research initiative led by Professor Jay Rosen exploring the relationship between journalists and members in the search for sustainable, community-centred business models for news. This project culminated in the Membership Guide - a practical, tactical handbook to help news organisations on their membership journey.

And I was part of the team behind The Correspondent – an English-language site for “unbreaking news” from the founders of Dutch journalism platform De Correspondent. The Correspondent’s world record-breaking crowdfunding campaign raised $2.6 million from more than 45,000 founding members to support the site’s launch and first year. The Correspondent closed in January 2021.

Away from work, I love to read, run, cook, and hang out with my husband and our children in our home city of Sheffield, UK. I am also an antenatal practitioner and breastfeeding counsellor, supporting families in their transition to parenthood.