Old friends become new directors as board expands to nine

The Tiffany Shackelford Foundation is excited to announce the expansion of our leadership board with the addition of two new directors: Jessica Estepa and Heather Harris Roemer. 

“I'm thrilled to welcome Jess and Heather, both long-time friends of Tiffany's,” said foundation president Laura Cochran. “The foundation, like Tiffany herself, seeks to foster radical empathy and caring, and I know how meaningful it would be for her to have them with us on this journey to empower future leaders. I look forward to the passion and dedication they'll bring as we continue this important work.” 

Estepa first met Tiffany at the 2010 Online News Association conference. Tiffany was, as those who knew her like to say, holding court and telling fabulous stories, Estepa recalled. She was soon drafted by Tiffany, Cochran and fellow board director Matt Mansfield to help run ONA DC, the local meetup for online journalists to help keep ONA energy alive year-round. 

“Tiffany truly took me under her wing and became a mentor and friend in the years that followed, from hiring me to do contract work with AAN after I left my job as a policy reporter to connecting me with others in her network for various leadership opportunities and welcoming me into her home for so many holidays,” Estepa said. “I always said she was like my Jack Donaghy—pushing me to strive beyond what I thought might be acceptable or possible and teaching me the value of purse whiskey.”

Harris Roemer met Tiffany in the late 1990s through a mutual friend, and they became fast friends. They shared a passion for family, friends, and the joy of life, taking a backpacking trip to Europe together. They each had a dedication to good government and media, and grew in their careers in the Washington, DC, area. 

“Tiffany was always making connections between her friends, for their benefit. It was a privilege to see how she excelled in her career and brought friends along with her when she could,” Harris Roemer said. “This foundation embodies that spirit, and I look forward to contributing to this effort of lifting up other young women in their careers.”

Estepa is a journalist based in the Washington, DC, area, where she has built her career for the past 15 years. She currently serves as the team lead for news insights and commentary at Bloomberg Industry Group, managing a team of editors to provide analysis for Bloomberg Law, Tax and Government audiences. Prior to that, she served as CNN’s senior campaign editor, running digital coverage of the 2020, 2022 and 2024 elections. 
“I wanted to join the board because Tiffany gave me so much as a young woman, and I wanted to do the same for others,” Estepa said. “I'm very passionate about lifting others up around me, and this seemed like the perfect way to do it—in her honor.”

A native Nevadan, Estepa is a graduate of the Reynolds School of Journalism at the University of Nevada, Reno. She completed the Paul Miller Fellowship with the National Press Foundation in Washington and has done leadership workshops with different organizations around the country. She is also a member of the Asian American Journalists Association and the Journalism and Women Symposium.

Harris Roemer is a seasoned creative professional, having worked in advertising agencies and publications including The Washington Post. A writer, designer, and project manager, she specializes in streamlining operations, managing cross-functional projects, and collaborating to deliver impactful marketing solutions. she is an alumna of The American University and holds a Project Management Professional certification. 

She was proud to serve as part of the leadership team of Girls Rock! DC from 2010 to 2012, as a judge for the 2011 AltWeekly Awards, and is honored to serve on the board of the Tiffany Shackelford Foundation.

Estepa and Harris Roemer enlarge the foundation’s board to nine directors. The others are Emma Carew Grovum, Aaron Castelo, Laura Cochran, Kevin Goldberg, Matt Mansfield, Barb Rosewicz and Catherine Wigginton Greene.

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