Jessica Espey

Jessica Espey has established herself as a leading expert in sustainable development data and policy through her role as Senior Advisor to the United Nations Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN) in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Her academic foundation includes a Bachelor of Arts with Honours in Modern History from Oxford University and a Master of Sciences in Political Economy of Development from the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London. Her career spans significant positions, including Associate Director and Head of SDSN's New York Office, and special adviser on the post-2015 agenda within the Office of the President of Liberia. As Head of the TReNDS program, SDSN's Thematic Research Network on Data and Statistics, she leads crucial research on data systems improvement and public-private data sharing for SDG achievement. Her expertise extends across multiple areas, including evidence-based policy-making, sustainable urbanization, and horizontal inequalities. Her international experience includes work with prominent organizations such as Save the Children UK, the Overseas Development Institute, and the British Institute in Eastern Africa. Throughout her 12-year career, she has worked across multiple countries including Liberia, Kenya, Rwanda, the UK, and the US, bringing a global perspective to sustainable development challenges. Her current work focuses on analyzing the return on investment from improved data systems and developing frameworks for effective data sharing to support sustainable development goals.