ABOUT
JESSICA
AMBUEHL
I'm a born and raised MidWest girl but after my first volunteer trip overseas at the impressionable age of 15, my heart longed to be exposed to the untouched, unknown, and undervalued in the world.
Storytelling became a passion behind the camera in college as I started to produce events and dabble in performing arts. I volunteered pro bono graphic design work for a nonprofit working in Uganda and soon found myself in Africa documenting their work on the ground. That trip sparked a love for photojournalism that has since spanned over a decade across numerous countries.
Going back to my high school days, I tried my hand at acting but didn't stick with it. Revising the craft in adulthood later created a new love for the industry. It quickly transformed from a hobby to a passion to a career and I discovered a way to combine my knowledge and experience in the industry with my gifts of organization and producing. Not only could I tell stories with stills but could do so with moving visuals through commercials, corporate videos, and films.
I believe in the power of stories and the importance of sharing them not only to entertain and educate but also to leave a legacy and give a voice to the broken. Everyone has a story (whether true or dreamed up) . . . and my job is to tell it to an audience with excellence.
I feel a sense of responsibility to use my experiences, things I've seen, and stories I've heard to teach others and expose them to the realities they didn't know existed. To break down barriers. To show how to love beyond differences. And to be the light in a sometimes dark world.
It's an honor to "do what I love and love what I do." I pray my life will inspire others and leave a legacy for my boys showing that you can make a difference by following your passion and dreams.
To learn more about my work in-front-of the camera, visit JessicaAmbuehl.com.
BEHIND THE NAME
In 2009, I heard a group of young men speak of their unbelievable journey through the desert to find freedom. Freedom from a civil war that took the lives of nearly 2 million in their homeland of Sudan.
While escaping death, they watched their brothers and sisters die from starvation, lack of water, vultures, and lions. Some lived to tell of this story.
These survivors are part of a group called the Sudan Boys.
At that moment, this company found its name . . . Under The Tree Designs.
A testament to finding contentment in all circumstances. No matter what we face, there are still small blessings to discover and beauty amongst the broken.
