Jenna Goodwin is the founder, CEO and editor of The Staffordshire Signal CIC, a non-profit, community-led local media platform created to champion Staffordshire, support local businesses, tell trusted local stories and rebuild confidence in local journalism.

Known locally as The Red Haired Stokie, Jenna has spent years building a strong and trusted regional audience through local history, writing, photography, video and community storytelling. She has become a recognised Staffordshire voice, telling the stories of the county’s people, places, heritage, culture and communities in a way that feels human, accessible and rooted in place.

The Staffordshire Signal grew from that trust, but was created to become something much bigger than one person’s platform. Jenna recognised that Staffordshire needed a county-wide media organisation that could bring together local news, lifestyle, culture, events, business, heritage and community storytelling in a trusted, positive and sustainable way.

At a time when local journalism is under significant pressure, Jenna took the calculated risk of creating a new model. The Signal is funded by local businesses and the community it serves through advertising, sponsorship, print subscriptions, reader support, partnerships and community backing. Because it is a CIC, that support is reinvested into Staffordshire’s journalism, stories, people and places.

Under Jenna’s leadership, The Staffordshire Signal has grown into a multi-platform organisation combining a free print magazine, digital features, newsletters, events coverage, community storytelling, business visibility and developing video work through The Staffordshire Signal TV.

The Staffordshire Signal now has an official partnership with City of Stoke-on-Trent Sixth Form College for the development of this video work, and Jenna is already in conversation with other educational organisations that want to be involved. The aim is to create a practical pathway between education and real media experience, giving students the chance to work on meaningful local stories, build confidence, develop portfolios and understand what journalism, production, and storytelling look like in practice.

Jenna Goodwin has entered the Entrepreneur of the Year category of University of Staffordshire Business Awards.