Amber Jackson

We didn't have much growing up, but I've always been a keen observer of people with a strong sense of justice. I was a first-generation college student. Had my daughter young, which turned out great because when they went to kindergarten, I went back to college.

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I started at a tech school. Those classrooms were some of the richest experiences I've had. The diversity was incredible - you might have an 18-year-old new mother sitting next to a 50-year-old immigrant who'd worked in the fields. The conversations were amazing, and the teachers were the best.

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When I transferred to a four-year university, I got into a Scholars Program that paid me to go to school. My mother-in-law suggested I look into social work. I couldn't have told you what a social worker did back then, but as I started studying, I found that the profession's values aligned with my own.

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I quickly realized I didn't want to do one-on-one practice or therapy. I'm a systems thinker, naturally drawn to the macro level. They teach you about three types of nonprofits using the analogy of children falling in a river. There's the one fishing kids out, another figuring out why they're falling in, and a third that funds the other two. I knew I needed to be the one figuring out why - that made so much sense to me.

After my social work undergrad, I chose to attend the Clinton School of Public Service. I wanted to learn more about policy and how to make an impact on a larger level. After a fellowship and internship at the Arkansas Department of Human Services, I was starting to believe government could still create positive change. I felt it was critical to work inside the system to figure out how to change it.

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I took a job in higher education at a predominantly white institution that was establishing an Office of Diversity and Inclusion. I hit the jackpot with my boss there - she was incredible, and I learned so much. That experience led me to launch my own consulting business and then work for a nonprofit during the pandemic, focusing on collaborative problem-solving and dialogue.

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After my former boss was named Little Rock's first Chief Equity Officer, she called and asked me to join her team as program manager. For me, it was a perfect fit. I'm part of the “Xennial” micro-generation - we had an analog childhood but a digital adulthood. I have enough millennial in me to be driven by purpose, combined with an incredible work ethic my parents taught me.

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My work has to have meaning - it's part of my DNA. When asked what public service means to me, the first thing that comes to mind is “relentlessly pursuing justice.” That's what drives me every day in my role.

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Currently, I serve as the City of Little Rock's Chief Equity Officer. I'm a member of Mayor Frank Scott Jr.'s policy team and lead the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. It's been incredibly rewarding to shape the direction of our office after my predecessor and mentor established its structure.

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I'm proud of the team I've built and our work together. I've learned that I'm a natural leader, and I deeply feel the responsibility to be a stalwart for equity against those who would have things stay the way they are. It's not always easy - organizational change is a slow process that often occurs at the margins. But the opportunities to innovate in the public sector are boundless, and that's what keeps me going.

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My background in social work, combined with my master's in public service from the Clinton School, has given me a unique perspective on inclusive practices and social service programming. I've worked in government, higher education, and nonprofits, and each experience has shaped my approach to leadership and community building.

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I'm a skilled facilitator, and I love bringing people together to solve problems. Whether it's growing high-performing teams or fostering dialogue in the community, I believe in the power of collaboration and inclusive decision-making. Every day, I wake up knowing that my work has the potential to make a real difference in people's lives.

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