Stephen Jefferson

Senior Applications Engineer

Stephen serves as senior applications engineer and works with the team that manages API’s proprietary analytics tool Metrics for News and its source diversity tracking tool Source Matters.

Stephen brings over 15 years of experience developing technology for nonprofits and journalism. He has spent the past seven years in the news industry as founding director of Bloom Labs, a technology startup that helps newsrooms explore new approaches to local audience research and development. In 2021, Stephen managed two data-focused collaborations at Bloom with over 20 newsrooms, including a partnership with Nextdoor where he led strategy and implementation of the first revenue share for local news on the platform.

Stephen's collaborative approach to technology has enabled him to learn and practice alongside dozens of small independent newsrooms, large media groups, journalism professors and students, and media-focused researchers. His work acknowledges how news technology influences beyond the interface and connects to rhythms in surrounding environments, including those contributing to representation, privacy, accessibility, and trust.

Stephen was a Fellow at Tow-Knight Center for Entrepreneurial Journalism at Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism. He studied Computer Science and Non-Profit Management at George Mason University in Virginia. In high school, Stephen founded a non-profit organization called Loudoun County Skate Project that raised awareness for safe skateboarding parks in northern Virginia and sparked his passion for impact-focused technology. He continues to skateboard at the now-many parks in the region and regularly engages with local environmental efforts, including volunteer leadership at Potomac Conservancy. Stephen currently lives in Alexandria, Virginia.

Email Stephen at stephen.jefferson@pressinstitute.org.