DENA JACKSON
INTERIM PRESIDENT & CEO, TXWF
Dena L. Jackson, Ph.D. is Interim President & CEO at Texas Women’s Foundation where she has served in multiple roles since 2012. She works across departments on projects and initiatives while also leading the Foundation’s research, policy advocacy and Housing Stability work always driving to the bottom line of building a better Texas for women, girls and families.
Dena’s leadership in developing the Foundation’s Economic Issues for Women research series has helped to position the Foundation as a catalyst for statewide social and economic change with a focus on child care, education, health care and housing. This timely and targeted research helps donors, grantees, lawmakers and community leaders come together around a common understanding of the issues, and fuels efforts to raise the collective voices of women, girls and their families.
Dena serves in multiple volunteer leadership roles supporting economic security of women and girls for organizations including Asset Funders Network (both national and North Texas chapter) and Philanthropy Southwest.
Following 14 years in healthcare administration and consulting, Dr. Jackson joined the nonprofit arena 2001 starting with the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation, as a fund-raising consultant in South Florida and then to the University of Texas at Dallas to open both the Foundation Relations and Research Development offices during five years as Assistant VP. This all set the stage for Texas Women’s Foundation.
A native Texan, Dr. Jackson earned her Doctoral degree in Health Studies at Texas Women’s University. She is a graduate of Leadership Texas, Leadership North Texas and is also a member of The Dallas Summit. She spends her free time cooking, reading, playing with her two rescue cats and one rescue dog and traveling with husband, Bob.