Jessica grew up in Swift Current, Saskatchewan where she developed an interest in plants and environmental sustainability. In 2013 she moved to Saskatoon to pursue her studies at the University of Saskatchewan, where she completed a Bachelor of Science in Animal Bioscience, and a Bachelor of Agriculture in Environmental Science. 

She has previous research experience from university courses, one of which she researched polar bear day beds in Wapusk National Park, Manitoba. Following this in 2016 Jessica won first place at AgBio Research Day for undergraduate students on her Polar Bear Day Beds research project. In addition, she competed a thesis project on Feral Boar Disease Risk in Saskatchewan. In 2019 she took part in a soils and environmental field course, in which she gained knowledge regarding vegetation classification, forest measurements, and classification of soils. 

Jessica joined GIFS in the summer of 2019 as a research assistant in the fields of hydroponic growth and plant cross-breeding. She gained experience in nutrient solution preparation, 2D and 3D imaging, and growing plants in a variety of settings, including hydroponics and greenhouses. She also worked at GIFS as a Plant Biology Research Technician, aiding in the fields of plant growth and hydroponic research. Before taking on the R&D Operations Lead role at GIFS, she was the institute’s Laboratory Manager.