Meet the founders.
Jessica is a Clinical Associate Professor at the Annenberg School for Communication & Journalism at USC, where she co-directs the MS in Communication Data Science program and teaches graduate courses on quantitative and qualitative research methods, strategic communication, and organizational strategy.
Before joining USC, Jessica completed a postdoctoral fellowship at Barcelona Media Center, a technology and media research think tank, and worked as a facilitator at USC's Marshall School of Business Experiential Learning Center. Her research has appeared in peer-reviewed journals including the Journal of Communication, Management Communication Quarterly, and the Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication, and has received awards from both the International Communication Association and the National Communication Association.
For Jessica, research and practice have never been separate pursuits. She served as an applied researcher at the Naval Postgraduate School's Graduate School of Business and Public Policy, and for 15 years was a core faculty member and subject matter expert at the Naval Postgraduate School's Center for Executive Education, where she designed and delivered professional development for hundreds of senior leaders through its Strategic Communication Workshop. She has consulted for the U.S. Navy, U.S. Army, NATO, National Park Service, NBC, Telefonica, Indra, and a variety of technology startups.
Jessica holds a PhD and MA in Communication from the USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism, and a BA in Psychology from UC Santa Cruz.
Dr. Kimberlie Stephens is an organizational communication expert who believes that the best solutions come from bringing fresh perspectives to entrenched problems. With over 20 years working at the intersection of research and practice, she develops programs to help leaders and professionals connect with their people and accomplish their organization's objectives.
Her award-winning research and practical expertise have helped organizations from nonprofits to corporations to the U.S. military become more efficient, effective, and life-giving. She holds a PhD in Organizational Communication from USC's Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism, where she spent a decade as faculty. Her research has won awards from the International Communication Association and the International Journal of Business Communication.
She's an ENTP whose extroversion shows up less at parties and more when she is in front of a classroom full of smart, engaged professionals who are working to hone their skills and lead change in their organizations.