Standards Welcomes Jessica Jerreat

We're very happy to announce that Jessica Jerreat, a veteran editor whose most recent role was as the first press freedom editor at Voice of America, is joining the Standards team.

Jessica has more than 25 years of experience in local and international news, in the United States, Britain and Qatar, and including V.O.A., The Times of London and the Committee to Protect Journalists. Her coverage has won several honors, including from the National Press Club, the Association for International Broadcasting, and New York Festivals TV & Film Awards.

Jessica has been an active member of the international press freedom community, speaking at conferences and using her network and expertise to direct support for journalists at risk. Before an executive order in effect shut down V.O.A. (a move being contested in federal court), she directed global press freedom coverage across the V.O.A.'s 49 language divisions, assigning and editing enterprise coverage for all platforms, overseeing daily packages, and advising colleagues and newsroom leaders on press freedom and journalism safety. It was a beat she created from scratch, combining her knowledge of international news and civil liberties.

Jessica says she enjoys collaborating with colleagues to find innovative ways to tell personal stories while ensuring that the work remains grounded in rigorous journalism.

She has the skills to be effective at every stage of production, from story conception and conversations about shot lists and artwork to the editing and design. Memorable assignments include a series that combined graphic novel storytelling and long-form journalism to explore the trauma of journalists who cover violent crime in Mexico, and working closely with an artist on how to visualize personal memory for a documentary on Uyghurs in exile.

Jessica is a longtime fan of The Times.

"As a reader I come to The New York Times for its groundbreaking reporting, innovation and stellar international coverage," she said. "As an editor, it is the values underpinning that journalism that appeal: the integrity, the refusal to compromise on quality and accuracy, and a commitment to follow the facts wherever they lead. I'm excited to be a part of the team responsible for safeguarding those values."

Please join us in welcoming her.

- Susan and Aisha