Jess Awtry is an audience strategist and editor whose data-informed work has helped transform some of the nation’s largest news media properties. Her background ranges from leading national content strategy to helming small-town local news teams across America.

She uses a combination of data-driven insights, technology and journalistic ethics to help media outlets see new pathways to increase the quality of their readership and grow their operations. Awtry currently leads audience development at Newsweek, where her mission is to deepen the news outlet's relationship with readers and increase their loyalty by working across news, engagement and product teams.

Prior to Newsweek, Awtry led content strategy for the USA TODAY Network and Gannett, where she helped shift the model across a network of more than 4,000 journalists to "impact over activity," powering the operation to 1.5 million digital subscribers and a reach of more than 130 million people each month. She also served as Senior Vice President of Audience at The Hill, where she helped the nonpartisan news outlet reach a record high in audience engagement.

Awtry’s background is in community news, a craft she's deeply passionate about preserving and continues work on today. She got her start as a night-shift copy editor at the Grand Island Independent in Central Nebraska and has since served in newsrooms across the country, leading news teams from Nebraska to Utah, Idaho, Colorado and the Carolinas.