Jessica is the designer of the Elevating Climate Conversations website. 

She is an experienced outdoors(wo)man, having spent seasons working as an adventure photographer, guide, and trail maintainer across the southern Appalachian region, and has lead the Appalachian State Trail Crew since 2018. She currently works as a student assistant and researcher, where her primary interests include using GIS to broaden our understandings of climate adaptations and vulnerability. Her experience includes researching and developing drone-based participatory mapping methodology used for indigenous climate adaptations in coastal Nicaragua, as well as mapping social vulnerability and land ownership patterns in rural Appalachia. She is an avid traveler, climber, trail-stomper and rapid-runner, and is fortunate to call the southern Appalachians home. She looks forward to graduating with her B.S in Sustainable Development from Appalachian State this spring and continuing her work as a researcher and climate activist.