About Jenna

Jenna's Story

Jenna Kern-Rugile is a freelance writer, editor and communications specialist who has written and edited stories for a variety of national and regional publications, including Scholastic; Family Magazine; Newsday; Working Woman; Working Mother; Fortune Small Business; Wellness; Long Island Weddings; Distinction; and The Baltimore Sun, among others. Her areas of coverage are varied and include parenting; adoption; health and wellness; mental health; the arts and music; animals; and the environment.

Jenna has a long history of writing for Newsday, including her previous role as a monthly columnist in the Op-Ed section, where she covered hot-button issues of the day such as bullying, gun control; funding for the arts, and more. 

Jenna also served as the editor and writer for Newsday’s GreenStreet LI, a series of quarterly magazines that provided entertaining and informative articles on “going green.” For several years, Jenna wrote a Newsday series called Life’s Victories, which profiled breast cancer survivors. 

In her role as a communications specialist, Jenna has worked for numerous non-profit organizations and businesses to create compelling and insightful materials that grab the interest of media outlets, clients, donors, and the public.

She has created content and messaging for a long list of clients, including her current role as Director of Communications at North Shore Child & Family Guidance Center; Bethpage Federal Credit Union; Splashes of Hope; the Nassau County Coalition Against Domestic Violence/the Safe Place; the Huntington Arts Council; the Institute for Student Achievement; Renewable Energy Long Island; and the Girl Scouts of the U.S.A. (national headquarters). Her commitment to conveying the excellent work done by these organizations resulted in widespread media attention, major fundraising success and increased clientele.

As a writer, editor and communications pro, Jenna brings passion, eloquence and a strong narrative voice to all her work.

Testimonials

Jenna Kern is a consummate professional. We worked together in my capacity as editor of Distinction, a Long Island lifestyle magazine, for many years. I always appreciated Jenna’s ability to tackle whatever assignment came her way, produce accurate and well-written copy, and get the assignments in on time. Jenna is bright and personable, committed to her craft, and a pleasure to work with.
Mary Stipe
Editor, Distinction Magazine
Jenna is a skilled and thoughtful writer and editor. Her understanding of businesses and organizations, combined with her extensive editorial experience made her an ideal partner in producing the case studies my client needed.
Jerry Colonna
CEO, Reboot.io
Jenna did more than give my manuscript an attentive first edit. She made me transition from a journalist focused on facts to a memoirist willing to put myself into the story. I can still see those margin notes — “but how did you FEEL!” The result? “The Scorekeeper” was a finalist for the 2018 Oregon Book Award.
Edward Hershey
Author, "The Scorekeeper"

Interested in more?

View work samples