Jessica Esch is a writer and illustrator who uses art, craft, and good humor to spread ideas and build community. For more than 20 years, her concise yet profound words and colorful, clean images have expanded people’s hearts, minds, and way of being in the world.

Her work has appeared in The Sketchnote Handbook by Mike Rohde, ARCADE, and Harvard Graduate of Education’s Ed Magazine. Her book Online Affects Offline: Learnings From the Field details how online engagement can build and strengthen relationships online and offline. 

Prior to co-founding Shinebolt in 2019, Jess learned about her community from the ground up at United Way of Greater Portland where her work reshaped how United Way interacted with the world. In 2011, she spearheaded the design and launch of UWGP’s LUbrary, the LIVE UNITED storytelling library of videos and illustrations.

Jess holds a bachelor’s degree in Journalism from University of Maine and a master’s degree in mass communications and public relations from University of Denver. She lives in Maine.