J’NA
JEFFERSON
Photographer, Ray Warren
Creative Director, Jeffrey Pelayo
CREATIVITY
with a side of
CULTURE
always served with a
SMILE.
FAST FACTS.
Graduated
Magna Cum Laude
from Rider University (2015)
Member
Writers Guild of America East, Lambda Pi Eta Communications & Journalism Honors Society, Omicron Delta Kappa National Leadership Honors Society
Special Skills
Trivia, knowing the choreography to ‘Single Ladies,’ saying the alphabet backwards
WITH JERSEY ROOTS
AND A BROOKLYN SOUL,
J’na is known for her insightful commentary, principled takes, and self-assured voice. Her writing delves into the intersections of music, culture, and identity, offering a fresh perspective on these dynamic topics. Beyond writing, J’na is a sought-after multimedia producer and content specialist who brings her unique perspective to the forefront, allowing her diverse writing talents to shine.
Whether interviewing cultural icons, moderating intimate conversations, or leading inventive initiatives, J’na continues to shape the way stories are told and experiences are shared. Her work is a testament to her ability to bridge different creative mediums, forge authentic connections, and uplift underrepresented voices.
PEN
GAME
STRONG
Unpacking culture,
one verse at a time.
LIGHTS,
CAMERA,
ACTION!
All platforms, all passion,
all J’na.
CREATIVE
AF
From page to stage, J’na’s
creativity knows no bounds.
PEN GAME STRONG
Renowned for her insightful commentary and captivating prose, J’na has proven to be a necessary voice in music and culture reporting. Her writing—seen in USA Today, Harper’s Bazaar, Rolling Stone and more—thoroughly explores the intersections of these mediums with race, gender, sexuality, identity, politics, and social justice.
Having worked under esteemed writers such as Hanif Abdurraqib and Morgan Jerkins, J’na has emerged as a formidable talent through her knowledge and nuanced perspective. Her interviews with luminaries such as Oprah Winfrey, Tarana Burke, Sting, Nile Rodgers, and John Legend provide profound insights into their latest projects, cementing her reputation as a trusted journalist and thoughtful cultural commentator.
In 2022, J’na's passion for her craft led her to join the staff of the Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism as an adjunct lecturer. There, she developed and delivered the school’s inaugural Music Reporting course, imparting theory, practice, personal experience and industry insights to the next generation of aspiring journalists. J’na has also written for and managed branded content and social media campaigns for major brands like Adidas, AXE, and Xfinity, a further extension of her editorial capabilities.
These diverse experiences have honed her ability to craft resonant, audience-focused narratives, seamlessly blending creativity, strategy, and cultural insight across various mediums, further underscoring her commitment to connection, and proving the power of her pen.
SPECIAL SKILLS
Copywriting, Copyediting, News Production (AP ENPS), SEO/Keyword Strategy, CMS (Wordpress, Mailchimp, Asana), Traffic Management Systems (Chartbeat)
Full Resume Available Upon Request.
BET Digital, Billboard.com/ Billboard Magazine, BLEU Magazine (Nov. 2019, Oct. 2018 Cover Stories), Complex, Harper's Bazaar, Medium- GENMag and Zora, Hearst Magazine, MTV News, NPR Music, Okayplayer, Paper Magazine, Playboy, Rolling Stone, UPROXX, USA Today, Recording Academy/Grammy.com, Revolt, Spin, Universal Music Group, Vibe Magazine, XXL
CREDITS
BRANDED CONTENT
AXE, Adidas, Red Bull,
Reebok, Verizon, Xfinity
AS SEEN IN
Central Sauce, BBC Music, BBCNews.com,
The Real (Emmy-Winning Daytime Talk Show),
USA Today/The Tennessean
INTERVIEWS
ORAL HISTORIES/FEATURES
OP-EDS
BRANDED CONTENT AND MARKETING (B2C)
LIGHTS, CAMERA, ACTION!
J’na’s skillful prose has propelled her scope beyond the written word—she’s a media dynamo who effortlessly blends her expertise in radio, TV, podcasting,
and digital production.
Whether she's a guest on BBC Radio or serving as a culture expert for Disney+’s latest docuseries, J’na is always ready to dive deep into conversations that interweave her knowledge of music, culture and society. Her passion for storytelling resonates across diverse platforms, making her a go-to voice for thought-provoking commentary. As a moderator and host, J’na has led engaging, intimate conversations with influential figures in music and culture for Yahoo’s BUILD Series and Samsung 837. She thrives on connecting with audiences and artists alike, turning interviews into moments that both impress and impact, but also feel relatable and friendly.
As an audio specialist and podcaster, J’na has not only been featured on a range of music-focused shows—she’s also created, hosted, and edited some. She’s worked on Nevermind Media’s anthology series Have You Heard This One?, and also uDiscoverMusic Presents…, Universal Music Group’s audio playlist series for their editorial component, UDiscoverMusic. Both offered fans a deeper listen into the music they love through in-depth research.
Even before this, J’na was ahead of the curve with VIBE Vixen's Boss Talk, her 2019 interview series crafted exclusively for the legacy brand’s female-centered vertical. As the show’s creator, host, producer, and editor, she curated conversations with entertainment figures like creative figure Parris Goebel and rap mogul Saweetie on their rise to the top in their respective industries.
J’na’s also a force behind the scenes. As a Digital Producer for CBS News’ 24/7 streaming platform, she worked closely with directors and producers to craft seamless, engaging content. Notably, she curated the inaugural custom streaming episode of 60 Minutes, which drove a major surge in audience engagement—reinforcing CBS’ reputation as a trusted media leader, and her gifts as a cultural producer.
J’na’s ultimate goal is to find a platform that allows her to seamlessly translate her gift of gab and vast knowledge into an opportunity to continue holding impactful, thought-provoking conversations that connect people, inspire change, and celebrate the intersection of music, culture, and society. J’na’s expertise in building these connections and her understanding of audience dynamics allows her to bring a fresh, impactful perspective to her future endeavors.
SPECIAL SKILLS
Content Management, Video Editing (AVID, Final Cut Pro, iMovie, Adobe Premiere, CapCut), Audio Editing (GarageBand, Audacity)
AUDIO
BBC Music, BBC Radio 4, BBC 5 Live, BBC World Service, Breaking Atoms, Name 3 Songs, Nevermind Media, NPR Weekend Edition, Recording Academy/Grammys, VIBE Vixen’s Boss Talk
VIDEO
Access Hollywood, GB News, National Geographic/Disney+,
REELZ Channel, Yahoo BUILD Series
PRODUCTION
CBS News Streaming, Red Bull Radio,
Universal Music Group
HOSTING/MODERATING
2019 Billboard Women in Music Red Carpet, 2019 Grammy Awards Red Carpet, 2020 Recording Academy NY Chapter pre-Grammy celebration Red Carpet, 2018 Roc Nation Brunch Red Carpet, 2016 MTV Video Music Awards Red Carpet, 2019 Assoc. Of Independent Music Publishers Indie Music Publishing Summit (“The Reality of Music in Unscripted Programming: The Business of Cardi B”), The Recording Academy (Masego), Samsung US
(Marsha Ambrosius), Yahoo BUILD Series (Esperanza Spalding, Rexx Life Raj)
CREDITS
CREATIVE AF
Outside of the media world, J’na has proven
she is more than just a byline.
In the digital realm, J’na excels as a content curator. From 2021-2022, she led key initiatives for Facebook’s Lift Black Voices, a content hub that celebrated Black culture and amplified underrepresented voices through information, facts, and interactive capabilities, including Financial Literacy Month, Mental Health Awareness Month, and Instagram’s Black Creator Day activations. Alongside her team, this work bridged the gap between creativity, social and cultural commentary, consistently resonating with diverse audiences as the Facebook app’s most engaged hub, garnering over 1M unique visitors in its year-long run.
She also served as the social media editor for VIBE Vixen’s Instagram page during her tenure, overseeing the Instagram page for the femme-focused vertical, including the development of a Story-focused series highlighting the exploration of new beauty products for Black women, as well as documenting experiences at events such as Beautycon, showing her expertise for writing and creating both short-form video and copy for social media.
Not to mention J’na’s knack for creating memorable moments of her own. Her organic ability to connect with audiences on platforms like Instagram, X/Twitter, and TikTok—- whether through showcasing her skills as a dancer, her sharp sense of humor, or her undeniably authentic vibe—- has resulted in several viral hits. Her most viral video has been viewed over 1M times across social platforms, and her biggest tweet has been meme’d, repackaged, and even mentioned by The Kardashians/Jenners, proving her skill of crafting engaging sentiments that drive conversation and community engagement.
She comes with a new focus on transitioning into the copywriting and advertising worlds, where her experience writing snappy headlines, crafting viral one-liners, and creating engaging content will certainly find space to thrive. Her social-first mindset is innate, and her sharp, concise, witty writing skills allow her to distill complex ideas into punchy, relatable and resonant copy that connects with diverse audiences.
Photographer, Ray Warren
Creative Director, Jeffrey Pelayo
Content Curation & Strategy, Social Media Community Building & Engagement, Digital Campaign Management, Social Media, Video Editing (AVID, Final Cut Pro, iMovie, Adobe Premiere, CapCut), Audio Editing (GarageBand, Audacity)
SPECIAL SKILLS
CREDITS
CONTENT CURATION
• Led the Financial Literacy Month and Mental Health Awareness Month activations and Black Creator Day activation (April, May, and June 2022).
• Assisted in curation for various Lift Black Voices activations from August 2021-June 2022, including article research and selection, headlines and deck creation, and quiz research.
• Curated picture music video playlists for Black History Month activation (Feb. 2022), the finale of HBO’s Insecure (December 2021), Black Music Month (June 2022), and Juneteenth.
• Liaisoned with design teams and tech teams for header images and quiz design.
