A Profile of Our Leader
Regina G. Jackson (formerly Jackson-Rasheed)
Executive Director (1994-Present)
Regina Jackson has made it her mission to invest heavily in the future of children, our nation’s greatest resource. She has taken on the challenge of molding, training and inspiring young people here in her hometown of Oakland, CA. She believes that EOYDC’s biggest challenge is combating hopelessness. “When young people don’t have high expectations, they often won’t try. Because my staff and I believe our youth can perform at high levels, they often rise to meet and exceed those expectations”.
Her involvement with EOYDC actually began in 1984 when, as a recent graduate of UC Berkeley with a degree in political science; she worked here as an intern on a graduate fellowship in Public/ Community Relations. Apparently, this young grad must have made her usual, indelible impression on the powers that be, because 10 years later she was back and in charge.
While the primary focus here at the EOYDC is youth development, Ms. Jackson has done an excellent job of getting the Center recognized as a valuable community resource; in other words “you don’t have to be a part to take part”. She has made a point of insuring that the Center offers a safe, nurturing environment where young people can learn, dream and aspire by developing their self-esteem. She has led the way for thousands of youth at EOYDC, and she has made us, realize the importance of continued personal growth.
As the seventh Director in the Center’s 30 year history, she develops and oversees EOYDC’s general administration and program management, supervises public relations and fiscal management, raises funds, develops and maintains partnerships with corporations and other organizations and serves on community task forces.
Her tireless efforts in gaining corporate, local businesses and hometown celebrity support have been instrumental to the stabilization of the Center and are vital to its continued growth.
Since her tenure began, Ms. Jackson’s leadership can best be described in the words of us the staff, our board members, community leaders and clergy, “as a stabilizing force for the Center’s curriculum and a positive anchor for the challenges of the 21st century”. Simply put, she has implemented a successful strategy which has had a positive impact on urban, multicultural youth.
Regina received the Humanitarian Award as an inductee into the Bishop O’Dowd High School Hall of Fame in 2008. She is both the first female and first African American to receive this distinction. Moreover, she received the Fannie Lou Hamer Emerging Leader Award from the African American Studies Department at UC Berkeley and The Jefferson Award for Community Service. The Champion for Youth Award from Black Expo, the National Coalition for 100 Black Women Advocacy Award, and Pine Sol Powerful Difference Award are additional distinctions received in 2009. Ms. Jackson completed the Harvard Business School, Executive Education “High Potentials Leadership Program” in June 2009. In 2010, Regina was inducted into the Alameda County Women’s Hall of Fame for Education.