Jess formerly led on organisational strategy and strategy implementation. Before that she led the Systems Change Acceleration team, which focused on developing and embedding approaches and core capabilities to increase Climateworks’ ability to influence system change. Prior to that, Jess led Climateworks’ educational and capacity building activities, including the development of an executive education program. She has also worked on a range of projects providing analysis and strategy on the implementation of zero emission pathways at the state and company level, as well as research into energy market reform.

Before joining Climateworks, Jess was a Project Manager and Project Consultant for Victoria Legal Aid, managing a range of service design and policy development projects to improve access to legal services.

Jess also worked as a Policy Analyst for the Victorian Council of Social Service where she held the policy portfolios of Climate Change, Emergency Management and Transport, and as a Senior Trainer for the Monash Sustainability Institute’s GreenSteps program.

As a Research Fellow at the University of Melbourne’s McCaughey Centre, Jess co-authored several publications on social and health impacts of climate change. Jess holds a Bachelors of Arts (Socio-linguistics), Bachelor of Social Work and a Masters of Environment from the University of Melbourne. Her masters thesis in political ecology investigated the importance of public narratives in Australian climate change policy.