Hello! I joined Barnard College as Director of the Well-Woman Health Promotion Program in August 2006. I've worked for many years as a psychotherapist in private practice, specializing in women's and girls' body issues. Over the years, I've developed and run community-based health promotion and education programs for pregnant women, built programs around adolescent sexuality, worked extensively with girls whose parents have HIV, and run groups for girls struggling with obesity. I've also served as a mental health consultant on the psychological aspects of living with chronic illness, collaborating with health care practitioners and public health programs on community education and program development.

I hold a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from The Graduate Center of The City University of New York, and a Doctoral Certificate in Women's Studies, also from CUNY. I received an M.S. in Nursing from Pace University, and a bachelor's degree from Harvard University. After completing my doctoral
work, I spent a year as a post-doctoral fellow in the Sexuality Research Fellowship Program of the Social Science Research Council. I continue to pursue research and theoretical writing on the ways daughters and mothers experience the sexualizaton of girls' bodies during puberty. Currently, I'm on the editorial board of the journal WSQ (Women's Studies Quarterly), and I'm delighted to be a new member of the advisory board of the Barnard Center for Research on Women.

I'm a long-time resident of the Upper West Side, proud mother of a young daughter, and happy companion to a big, black poodle.

Jessica has been passionate about women’s health since she began reading “women’s” magazines at age twelve. Coming to Barnard in the fall of 1999 from Virginia, Jessica discovered Well-Woman during First Year Orientation and fell in love. A peer educator for 2 years, she especially enjoyed promoting positive body image and belonging to a group that spoke so openly and positively about sex. Jessica was thrilled to return to Barnard as a Health Educator, dividing her time between the Well-Woman office and Health Services, and is always happy to speak with students about any aspect of wellness. Just ask!