Focus on Jessica Altshuler Joyner

I’ve enjoyed a sales career in news media, and I ended up in the industry by accident. I took an internship at a medical device company that turned into a full-time account executive position. After two years, I moved to Washington, DC to get my master’s degree in communications at John’s Hopkins, and I worked my way up to become sales director at the Washington Business Journal. I believe my success in that role helped me land a position at the New York Times. In 2020, I joined my spouse overseas for diplomatic service in Sri Lanka. My spouse’s job as a Foreign Service Officer requires us to change locations every 2 years, so we are currently serving in Tokyo!

Tons of meetings! I occasionally meet with the ambassador or other department heads at the US Embassy, but I usually meet with diplomatic families. Many of these families are new arrivals that need help getting settled into a new country. I also plan events for the community, which is time-consuming, but quite fun!

Two memories stick out to me. The first is a time I got to emcee at a work event at the Washington Nationals’ baseball stadium. The second is getting the call from my recruiter telling me I got my position with The New York Times.

MC helped me learn to adapt. As I look back at my career so far, I often tell MC students not to worry too much about how their major will align with their careers because the truth is they usually won’t — and that’s ok. The important thing is that their MC liberal arts degree prepares them to be versatile so that they can flourish in a variety of fields.

I love to write music, sing, and play guitar. I also researched gemstones during our last post in Sri Lanka. It is known as “gem island” and it’s where the famous sapphire in Princess Diana’s ring is from. Discovering this unique Sri Lankan heritage has inspired me to get GIA certified and explore the jewelry industry. Since we are currently in Japan, I try to engage in fun Japanese cultural activities that I can’t do anywhere else, like attending sumo wrestling matches!

I’m proud that I never quit. As a 2009 college graduate, I remember entering the work force during a very challenging time. The economic crash and subsequent recession made jobs for new graduates quite scarce, so we had to take whatever was available. I worked my way up for years until I obtained a job that was fulfilling and well-paid. I count myself lucky because many are still searching! In 2020, my husband and I had our first child during a global pandemic. Kudos to all the parents out there because we’ve had to be so resilient!

I am living across the world right now! It is an exciting, unpredictable time where I get to experience new cultures and adventures overseas. Diplomatic life sounds glamorous, but it comes with unique challenges and the responsibility of representing my country well. This is a humbling privilege and I am tremendously grateful for the experience.

All of the friends I made. Many of them are my closest friends to this day. Besides that, I enjoyed singing in the gospel choir and acting in an MC production of A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum.