Jessica Ambuehl
Photo provided by Jessica Ambuehl.
5(ish) Questions for is a chance to discover and learn about St. Louis Creatives, Community Champions, and, well, just interesting people in and around our city. It's a deep dive into what they love and where their passion lies. It's an opportunity for all of us to see our region from a different perspective. This written interview is a peek into their lives and their outlook on St. Louis.
Meet Jessica, a passionate St. Louis-based media professional whose journey from a Midwest upbringing to a global storytelling career blends acting, producing, and pro bono photojournalism across 16+ countries. Her work empowers nonprofits, celebrates human experiences, and reflects a deep commitment to community, creativity, and service—while balancing motherhood and a love for adventure.
Photo provided by Jessica Ambuehl.
Hi Jessica, tell us a little about yourself.
I was born and raised in the Midwest but my heart . . . and feet have wandered this beautiful melting pot for decades. One might even jokingly say my independence and proactiveness (some refer to it as “stubbornness”) evident in the womb, foreshadowed my unique journey around the globe.
But my roots are here in St. Louis where I moved to at age seven from Overland Park, Kansas. I graduated high school from Victory in South County (which has since been torn down – that makes one feel old!), earned my Associates Degree in Broadcasting and Communications from Meramec, as well as my Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees in Media Communications with an emphasis in Public Relations from Webster University. That’s a mouthful and a debt-full that ironically, I paid off the same year my oldest started college. The irony!
I dabbled in nonprofit work for many years adding to the existing resume as a realtor, sales associate, waitress, event coordinator, program director, graphic designer, and the list continues. But it wasn’t until my thirties where I find my true passion of professionally telling stories on both sides of the camera. I’m honored to be an award-winning actress and producer with a combined 300+ productions under my belt. I have talent representation across the nation as a performer and fill the rest of my time producing, directing, and casting projects for the screen.
I produce and teach production workshops for the St. Louis nonprofit Continuity and sit on the advisory boards for both Film In MO and St. Louis Filmworks. And, I mentor acting students around the nation with Reflect the Dream School of Acting in Los Angeles.
What feeds my soul like nothing else is providing pro bono photojournalism for over 15 years for nonprofits around the world through my company, Under The Tree Designs. This life-giving service work has taken me to over 16 countries, experiencing diverse cultures and capturing life through my lens in many developing nations. I’ve even gone through hostage and kidnapping training and signed U.S. government documents that most Midwest moms never see in their lifetime. It’s truly an honor to provide quality images to help nonprofits tell their stories with excellence and hopefully gain exposure, invite people to their work, and raise funds to keep doing their life-saving efforts. And although my work brings me incredible joy, there’s nothing more rewarding (and challenging) than being a mother. My amazing parents’ sacrificial love drew a roadmap for me on how to unconditionally love my two boys (Camden, age 21 and Gavin, age 16) who are individually thriving . . . and what better backdrop to raise them than the St. Louis-area.
Image provided by Jessica Ambuehl.
Image provided by Jessica Ambuehl.
What gets you out of bed in the morning?
Honestly . . . my youngest. I wake up at 6:45 a.m. each weekday to ensure the teenager gets out of bed in time to drive himself to school. I apparently birthed two children with the superpower of sleeping through and on anything (planes, trains and automobiles). But when motherhood is not keeping my eyes open, my love for people and the excitement of seeing what each day entails keeps me going. Coffee is a staple on all TV/film sets but I’m typically in the tiny percentage of humans who do not like it nor need it survive another day. And our days can be VERY long. Good-ole life is enough to keep me going.
How did you get started?
I was never giddy over celebrities growing up or dreamed of being an actress. My parents were gracious enough to take me a local talent agency in town as a pre-teen where I auditioned to be represented. The idea sounded fun but was never meant to be my livelihood. That led to acting and modeling classes and a headshot that I still proudly show today (but thank goodness styles have changed! . . . and yes, those were natural curls). I didn’t stick with the craft but found myself back there over a decade later after being married and having a baby. I figured agencies needed babies for film/TV so at my son’s audition, I too decided to try my hand at acting again. What began as a hobby turned into a career and then into a passion.
Many of the skills I was already using in event coordinating and programming were transferrable into the media industry. I continually sought out opportunities to learn and grow which turned into viable roles on set. Instead of just being part of a team, I get to build and hire them to bring stories to life.
I always loved taking photos but never thought of myself as a “photographer.” But one day at church I heard a woman talk about her need for a graphic designer for her nonprofit in Uganda. I offered to help, joined the board, and then found myself in Africa for the first time after asking if she had better images I could use to promote their work. All that existed were tiny pixelated pictures so off I went for two-weeks alongside a medical team to gather photographs and stories. I had already served in other countries when I was younger so international travel was not new to me. I even lived in Romania in the summer of 1996 and the summer after in Hungary. But, Africa was never on my bucket list. I think God has a sense of humor because I have since been to that country many, many times. But that trip sparked something in me that I never knew was there – a love for telling stories with photographs – and the realization of the power of an image. As word spread and I sent my portfolio to other nonprofits, I found myself traveling all over the world to gift my work – from the dirt streets in Haiti to the slums in India, the ruins in Tunisia to the deserts in Jordan, the vernal bush in Kenya to the historical buildings in Morocco . . . and beyond!
There are needs everywhere, every day. All you have to do is keep your eyes and ears open to find a way to serve. You never know where it will lead!
What impact are you making in the world?
My mission is to use imagery to connect the world through human experiences by evoking emotions in the audience to desire to learn more, value differences, discover beauty in brokenness, and expose them to a world they didn’t know existed but now can no longer deny.
What better way to help people feel seen, heard, and not forgotten. To give a voice to the voiceless through storytelling!
I truly hope the time and effort given on the media boards helps bring more amazing projects to our area. We have an abundance of talent right here in our own backyard . . . now is the time for the rest of the world to realize and see it for themselves.
My motto is “the difference you make for one, can impact the future for many.” We should never discount every effort someone gives to make a difference – big or small, nothing is wasted.
What helps you push through creative blocks?
When I hit a creative wall, I breathe and step away to reset. Sometimes, simply a change of scenery does the trick. Other times it’s watching a show, listening to music, talking to a friend . . . or even a stranger to find new inspiration. One time I was struggling to design a poster for a large fundraising event in Nashville I was producing (and designing/marketing) and a distant sign at Buffalo Wild Wings one night at dinner surprisingly did the trick.
I also have learned to give myself permission to not be perfect but to strive for my version of excellence. To reflect on past work blessings that came from that time and effort to keep me moving forward. Personal “perspective checks” are necessary for me to stay grounded and not give up . . . especially in my industry that is full of more rejection than wins.
What inspires you about Saint Louis?
I absolutely adore our Midwest mentality and hospitality. I smile when I hear out-of-town crews say they are surprised we are so kind, cooperative, and hard working . . . characteristics that unfortunately, are not always common but thankfully are found here in St. Louis.
St. Louis has so much to offer at reasonable prices from amazing restaurants to memorable sites to inexpensive outings for families.
I’d like to skip the unpredictable weather patterns that keep my boots and flip flops living together in the closet year-round but it’s a fair tradeoff for the wonderful things this city offers!
What’s your guilty pleasure?
Adventures of all kinds! From donkey rides in Petra to hiking in the rain forest in Costa Rica to hot air balloon rides in Turkey to sky diving the highest tandem jump in the world in California. I’m up for anything!
Acting photo collage provided by Jessica Ambuehl.
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