About Nesta

Nesta is an innovation foundation. For us, innovation means turning bold ideas into reality and changing lives for the better. We use our expertise, skills and funding in areas where there are big challenges facing society.

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Jessica Jenkins

Senior Policy Advisor (Health), Rapid Insights Team

Jess is a senior policy advisor in our Rapid Insights Team (RIT).

The RIT is a joint policy venture with the Behavioural Insights Team, that brings together new research and expertise from both organisations to address pressing policy challenges. She leads the team’s work on health and is also currently leading our trial on the use of AI chatbots in public services.

Prior to Nesta, Jess worked at Te Tai Ōhanga (the New Zealand Treasury) where she supported ministers on New Zealand’s first wellbeing budgets, COVID-19 response and recovery and structural reforms to the health and disability system focused on improving equity, access and outcomes across Aotearoa.

Jess holds a Master of Public Policy from the University of Oxford and a Bachelor of Arts and Laws with Honours from Victoria University of Wellington. Her legal research focused on the treatment of social enterprise in company law and the application of human-centred design to reimagine legislation for citizen understanding and empowerment.

Outside of work, you'll find Jess pottering in the kitchen, browsing charity shops and convincing reluctant friends to go swimming.