Jessica Jackson is an internationally-recognized human rights attorney and bipartisan leader who has specialized in bringing diverse groups together to achieve significant impact. As an advocate for public safety and criminal justice reform, she has helped pass some of the America’s most significant reforms. As CEO at REFORM Alliance, Jackson works alongside lawmakers, community leaders, partners, and REFORM’s Board of Directors to sustain bipartisan momentum and elevate the national visibility of supervision reform.

Jackson’s quest for justice began in a Georgia courtroom. The high-school dropout held her two-month-old daughter and watched helplessly as her husband was sentenced to serve six years in prison. At that moment, she decided to turn her shock into a crusade to change the justice system. As a single mother, she graduated from college and law school. Today she is leading the bipartisan movement to increase public safety and transform the criminal justice system.

Jackson’s specialty is bringing political rivals together to pass bills considered “impossible.”

In 2018, Jessica led the effort to pass the federal First Step Act, a criminal justice reform bill signed into law by President Donald Trump, which the New York Times called “the most substantial in a generation.” That bill helped usher in a culture change in federal prisons to better prepare people for employment and success upon release and has already helped free tens of thousands of people from federal prison, with a 9.7% recidivism rate as compared to 45% prior to the First Step Act.

As Co-founder and National Director of #cut50 (now Dream.org), Jackson built one of the first bipartisan criminal justice reform organizations in the country and created a national grassroots network for bipartisan reforms led by formerly incarcerated people, the Empathy Network. That network, under Jessica’s leadership, campaigned in 14 states to ban the shackling of pregnant women in jails and prisons through her “Dignity for Incarcerated Women” initiative, deepening the focus on women’s issues and sparking nationwide momentum for reform and legislation.

Jessica began her political career when she was elected to the Mill Valley City Council in 2013. She also served as its youngest-ever Mayor.

Jackson was named a Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum and led a historic effort, alongside Costa Rica and 120 organizations from 49 countries, to pass the first-ever United Nations resolution recognizing post-incarceration reentry as a human rights issue. Unanimously adopted, it establishes global guidance for reentry policies, impacting 11.5 million people worldwide.

Today, she continues her work to build bipartisan bridges and create sustainable impact as Chief Executive Officer at REFORM Alliance. She has led the organization through dozens of campaigns to change hearts, minds and laws.

Jessica Jackson turned her hopelessness into hope for millions.