Jennifer Ford brings two decades of cross-disciplinary experience to her role as Essence’s lifestyle correspondent. Her work focuses on:
Successful outreach should align with her established beats:
Jennifer Ford has cultivated a multifaceted career blending design acuity with journalistic storytelling. Her early work as a page designer for The New York Times International Weekly laid the foundation for understanding visual narrative structure, which she later translated into brand strategy roles at the University of Florida’s College of Journalism and Communications. This dual expertise in design and communication informs her current approach at Essence, where she synthesizes complex business concepts into accessible lifestyle content.
This March 2025 piece exemplifies Ford’s ability to bridge corporate social responsibility reporting with practical consumer insights. Through interviews with Caress executives and grant recipients, she constructs a narrative that balances brand messaging with authentic entrepreneur testimonials. The article’s structure mirrors her design background – using subheadings as visual breaks and pull quotes as focal points – while maintaining Essence’s signature conversational tone.
Ford consistently highlights initiatives that address multiple consumer needs simultaneously. The Caress article demonstrates her interest in brands supporting underrepresented entrepreneurs while creating market-ready products. Successful pitches should emphasize how products/services resolve specific pain points through inclusive design.
“Spending Well received a New York Times Publisher’s Award in 2015 for its innovative approach to personal finance journalism.”
While Ford’s recent accolades focus on her academic leadership in marketing communications, her 2015 award underscores the throughline of her career – transforming complex subjects into engaging visual narratives. Her current role as AIGA National Board Member further cements her status as a bridge-builder between design and journalism.
At PressContact, we aim to help you discover the most relevant journalists for your PR efforts. If you're looking to pitch to more journalists who write on Lifestyle, here are some other real estate journalist profiles you may find relevant:
