Jess joined the Community Forestry sector in 2005 after working in the media industry.  Jess worked in a number of roles for Red Rose Forest and City of Trees before taking on the role of Forest Director in April 2019.  Jess plays a key role in the team leading on the Northern Forest initiative.    

Over the past 15 years, Jess has developed a breadth of experience, from delivering grass-roots greening projects and developing strategic engagement programmes to business and organisational development. 

Jess is passionate about connecting people to the natural environment and her background in community engagement has developed into specialising in the relationship between health & wellbeing and the urban forest.  Jess graduated in 2018 with an MSc in Dementia, applying public realm greenspace in the context of an enabling environment.  She is now a PhD candidate working with the University of Salford, School of Health & Society, on exploring the wellbeing impacts of civic environmentalism for population wellness.

Jess loves birch trees – any time of year but especially in the summer for the dappled sunshine effect they provide.