Jessica received her BA in Communication and Political Science from Concordia College in 2004.  She received her MA in Communication Studies from the University of Nebraska - Lincoln in 2007. She has worked at various colleges throughout her career in both student affairs and as a lecturer in Communication Studies. Jessica has taught in the Communication Department at UCCS since 2015.  She teaches courses in Public Speaking and Intercultural Communication.

Her philosophy of teaching centers around creating a space in which students play an active role in their education through both instructor/student and student/student discussion-achieving learning beyond simple memorization and regurgitation of examples, concepts and terms.  Her ultimate goal is for students to engage in course topics through critical thought and leave her courses with an understanding and appreciation of how such topics can be practically applied in both professional and personal settings.