Jessica Studdert

Chief Executive
jstuddert@newlocal.org.uk
@jesstud

Jessica Studdert is Chief Executive of New Local. Jessica has spent much of her career researching, advocating and writing about local government, public service reform and devolving power. She was previously Deputy Chief Executive at New Local, where she co-authored The Community Paradigm and led research and policy impact.

Prior to that, Jessica was political adviser to the Labour Group at the Local Government Association. She led policy there, working closely on public service reform and devolution. This included a secondment to the Policy Unit of the Leader of the Opposition’s Office during 2013-14 to lead on a local government public service reform policy review. She has also worked in policy roles in the voluntary sector and began her career at the Fabian Society.

Jessica is also a board member of the National Housing Federation and a trustee of Local Trust.

Areas of Expertise:
Local government finance
Public service reform
Economic growth and productivity
Organisational development and culture change

Their Local: Jessica grew up in Cambridge, which is most famous for its university. Interesting non-university related facts about the city include that it is the birthplace of modern football, with “Cambridge Rules” setting the standards of the game as we know it; it is where Pink Floyd were formed; and Oliver Cromwell’s head was secretly buried in the city in 1960 – having spent the 300 or so years since it was removed from his body being passed around between private collectors and museums.