Jessica has an MA in Applied Linguistics from the University of Manchester as well as a BA (Hons) in History with Asian Studies from the University of Hull. She holds a Level 7 Diploma in Leadership Coaching and Mentoring, awarded by the CMI, as well as qualifications in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages.

Since October 2023, Jessica has been leading the Academic Skills team, bringing together aspects of learning development and EAP (English for Academic Purposes) to formulate a new approach to academic literacy at King’s. 

She led a 10-month university-wide project on the future of academic literacies and instituted a set of cross-college working group recommendations to form the new Academic Skills team. The team now works across the college supporting students at all levels and across all subject areas.

She works closely with academic colleagues to integrate a range of literacies into the taught curriculum, including academic, AI, feedback and assessment. She is currently working within four faculties – the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience (IoPPN), Faculty of Social Science & Public Policy (SSPP), Faculty of Natural, Mathematical & Engineering Sciences (NMES) and Faculty of Life Sciences & Medicine (FoLSM) - to help reshape the learning experiences of their international communities.

Jessica has acted as mentor and coach for colleagues in several UK universities and health care institutions, working to raise the profile of their academic skills programmes and learning development centres. She is currently part of the organising committee for the ALDinHE (Associated of Learning Developers in Higher Education) Peer Mentoring Scheme and is an active mentor for the scheme as well as for the Aurora leadership programme.

Before rejoining King’s in 2020, Jessica previously worked for eight years at Queen Mary, University Of London as Programme Lead for the Graduate Diploma in Humanities and Social Sciences, and at Imperial College, where she worked as Senior Learning Designer on the educational technology transformation programme in the Faculty of Engineering.

Her scholarly interests are in inclusive education, student agency and academic literacies within the taught curriculum. She is Co-Chair of the Inclusive Education Community of Practice and member of the KCL Inclusive Education Steering Committee.

Jessica is author of the ‘Student Essentials: Dissertation’ study guide published by Trotman in 2011 and is a regular peer reviewer for the Journal of Learning Development in Higher Education.