Overview

The Origin Story is a platform for people who discover Jewish ancestry through DNA testing, family stories, or genealogical research. It offers an accessible starting point for exploring Jewish heritage and identity without requiring religious conversion or a particular level of observance.

I led audience research, strategic positioning, brand development, and communications, taking American Jewish University’s new programme from concept to launch.

Challenges

With budget approval in mid-November and a start-of-year deadline, the project had just six weeks to go from concept to launch, including recruitment over the holiday period.

The goal was to create an accessible, low-barrier resource for people across different backgrounds and viewpoints. Launching after October 7th added another layer of sensitivity, requiring politically balanced, inclusive messaging across web and social content.

Audience & positioning: Researched the target audience and used findings to shape positioning, messaging, content, and user journey.
Brand & web development: Led naming and brand development, then directed site architecture, copy, SEO, and visual content.
Launch & programme development: Took the project from concept to launch in six weeks, spanning stakeholder consultation, content production, and programme development.

Role and contribution

Launched on time and within budget, with strong stakeholder response to the name, website, and content. Secured a $20,000 grant to support start-up costs and established a new channel for AJU to reach people who may not otherwise engage with Jewish institutions. The platform provides a foundation for future programming and community engagement, giving people space to explore Jewish heritage and identity on their own terms.

Outcomes

My MSc in Psychology gave me the opportunity to develop and apply formal research skills across a range of qualitative and quantitative projects. My dissertation was the most substantial, exploring the psychological and relational experience of housing precarity among lower-middle- and middle-income adults in London.

Prior to my MSc research, I completed smaller studies across previous coursework, developing experience in suvery design, data collection, qualitative analysis, and interpreting findings.

This study examined how London's middle-income adults navigate housing insecurity, focusing on how life stages and uncertainty influence their experiences. I highlighted a demographic often overlooked by policy, bridging the gap between low-income support and true housing stability.

MSc Dissertation

Research Design

I led the research design and participant outreach, engaging over 300 individuals without financial incentive. To gain deeper qualitative insights, I prioritized audio memos over text-based responses. Through rigorous screening for income, location, and employment, I curated a targeted focus group of 10 participants for final analysis.

Analysis

I analysed the audio responses using Reflexive Thematic Analysis, working from initial open coding through to a set of interconnected themes and subthemes.

Key Findings

The analysis identified five interconnected themes: uncertainty and chance; relational resources and constraints; displacement and life-course disruption; imagined alternatives to current systems; and coping and adaptation.

By focusing on adults in paid employment and above traditional low-income thresholds, the study brought attention to a group whose housing precarity is often missed by conventional measures of need. It suggested that housing insecurity needs to be understood across a wider range of incomes, ages, and relational circumstances.