Media and Speaking
Jessica's work has been featured mainstream media outlets both domestically and internationally from the Washington Post to Al Jazeera. She has also as spoken as a guest lecturer and panelist on television, radio, in schools and high level conferences. Below is a sampling of her work as a public speaker and writer. Contact her below for media requests.
Radio, Podcast and Television
Guest on Rethinking Humanitarianism Podcast, November 4, 2020
Guest on Global Dispatches Podcast, October 12, 2020
Guest on Rethinking Development Podcast, September 23, 2020
“The Truth About Humanitarian Work: High Ideals Vs. Hard Realities” National Public Radio, March 15, 2015
BBC World Service, NewsHour November 16, 2013 (Interview about Helping Victims of Typhoon Haiyan)
Humanitarian Aid Worker Offers Critical Look at Charity” NY1, “Road to City Hall,” October 21, 2013
Interview on Morning News about helping victims of Typhoon Haiyan, Al Jazeera America, November 20, 2013
Published articles
Editor: Rethinking Humanitarianism Series, The New Humanitarian
“Aid policy trends to watch in 2021” The New Humanitarian, January 4, 2021
“A war photographer turns her lens back home: In conversation with Lynsey Addario” The New Humanitarian, December 8, 2020
“A report card for aid groups” Geneva Solutions, October 13, 2020
“More jobs, more risk: What 25 years of data say about the aid sector” September 15, 2020
“Change in the humanitarian sector, in numbers” The New Humanitarian, September 9, 2020
“COVID-19 changed the world. Can it change aid, too?” The New Humanitarian, July 16, 2020
“Helping small states have a big say in nuclear disarmament” Geneva Solutions, October 2, 2020
“How past pandemics and epidemics inform COVID-19 response” The New Humanitarian, June 3, 2020
“How One Couple Found Love Among Tragedy” Vogue, April 4, 2016.
“Five Ways Aid Agencies Can Better Communicate with Those They Help” IRIN News, July 20, 2015.
“Don’t Go to Nepal to Help,” Slate.com, April 27, 2015
“Five Myths about Helping in the Philippines,” Washington Post, December 6, 2013
“How to Help Typhoon Haiyan Survivors in the Philippines,” Slate.com, November 11, 2013
“How Typhoon Haiyan Organizations Spend Your Cash Donations,” Slate.com, November 14, 2013
“Disaster Control,” The Pennsylvania Gazette, January 2014
“Five Questions for Jessica Alexander,” Q&A Philanthropy News Digest, November 19, 2013
Speaking Engagements
Panelist, The Future State of Humanitarianism, Aid Reimagined Global Summit, World Humanitarian Action Forum, November 24-25, 2020
Facilitator, Transforming uncertainty: Finding opportunities for change and improvement, ALNAP 33rd Annual Meeting, November 18, 2020
Moderator, UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) Humanitarian Affairs Segment: Event “Interoperability in Humanitarian Action” June 2014
Presenter, 29th Annual ALNAP Meeting, Addis - Engagement of Communities: Historical Perspective and Remaining Questions, March 2014
Guest Speaker, World Affairs Council of San Francisco, January 2014
Guest Lecturer, Goldman School of Public Policy, University of Berkley, January 2014
Guest Lecturer, Global Health Department, Western Connecticut Health Network, January 2014
Guest Lecturer, Grand Rounds, UC Davis School of Medicine, January 2014
Guest Speaker, Sixth and I, Washington DC, December 2013
Lead Speaker for Humanitarian Effectiveness Panel — Global Policy Forum OCHA, December 2013
Invited Speaker – Interaction Forum - Panel on Humanitarian Standards and Accountability, April 2013
Faculty speaker at Ninth Annual Child Abuse Prevention Conference, "Child Abuse and Exploitation: A Global Perspective," American Academy of Pediatrics, May 2007
Presenter — Mozambique Former Child Soldier Life Outcome Study at the American Public Health Association Conference in Washington, DC, 2005
Academic Lectures
Invited lecturer at numerous universities including Georgetown, Princeton, George Washington University, University of Virginia, Lewis and Clarke College, George Mason, Smith College and more.
Panelist, “Migrations: Movement of People, Ideas and Goods” Waseda University, October 2019
Featured lecturer at Ritsumeikan University’s Graduate School of International Relations (GSIR) and Institute of International Relations and Area Studies (IIRAS), June 2019
Panelist, Sophia University’s UN Week, June 2019
Invited speaker, International Research Institute of Disaster Science (IRIDeS) and Tohoku University, April 2019
Keynote speaker to all incoming Freshman Class at American University, American University’s Writer as Witness program, September 2015