Jessica brings to the Institute more than 20 years of experience in journalism and public relations. She began her career in broadcasting, working on-air in Philadelphia before transitioning into corporate communications with a large retail development group in Princeton, New Jersey. In 1996, Jessica moved with her family to Tampa and continued to work in retail marketing; she served as Marketing Director for historic Old Hyde Park Village for five years. In 2001, Jessica returned to journalism and served for three years as Associate Editor of Tampa's city-lifestyle publication, Metro Magazine. She contributed dozens of articles to the magazine and became known for her "Last Word" feature interviews, which included Yankees owner George Steinbrenner and Buccaneers head coach John Gruden, among others. Additionally, Jessica serves as an Adjunct Professor at the University of Tampa. She holds a bachelor's degree in journalism from the University of South Carolina.