Jena (Jay) Barchas-Lichtenstein is the Senior Research Manager at the Center for News, Technology & Innovation. Most recently, they led the media research at Knology, an independent research organization. In that role, they built participatory collaborations with news organizations across the U.S. to support audience learning about topics ranging from inflation to the U.S. carceral system.
Jena has received NSF funding for their work with PBS News, and their research focuses on the changing role of media institutions in a time of rapid technological and social change. While completing their Ph.D. in Anthropology from UCLA, they lived in Mexico for two years, where they studied the global communication infrastructure of Jehovah’s Witnesses. They have published their research in leading journals (Language & Communication, Journalism Practice, Journalism Studies) and trade publications (Current), and their work has been covered by Nieman Lab.