Jessica is a mixed-methods researcher with expertise in the sexual and reproductive health of women, including the association between racial discrimination and preterm birth disparities among Black women, HIV prevention among Black women in faith communities, and examining the context in which emerging adults make decisions related to their sexual health. At NORC, she utilizes quantitative and qualitative research methods to evaluate national-level programs focused on reducing health disparities. Skills include creating data analysis plans, conducting thematic analysis, conducting descriptive statistics, and synthesizing research findings.  

She serves as the project director for the Y-USA Water Safety Awareness Evaluation to address racial disparities in drowning deaths among children. She is also the secondary data lead for the evaluation of the CDC’s Adult Immunization Program to improve adult vaccination uptake. Previously, she served as a senior scientist for the CDC's Center for State, Tribal, Local, and Territorial Services (CSTLTS) evaluation of a large national initiative. Tasks included performance monitoring, such as analyzing quantitative and qualitative data.  Jessica led and contributed to an environmental scan to incorporate health equity into home visiting program performance measures for the Maternal and Child Health Bureau’s Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting Program (HEAL-PM). 

Prior to NORC, she strategically navigated each phase of the research process to anticipate and address issues that may often arise (e.g., participant recruitment and adjusting data analyses). Additionally, she conducted community based participatory research where she was able to gain invaluable insight into what it takes to manage and execute an extremely difficult research project around sensitive subject matter (women’s sexual health and African American faith communities) with an equally nuanced and complex community of participants. This work required the construction and maintenance of relationships built on trust with community stakeholders and little room for communication errors.