Helen Jackson has her finger on the pulse of Duval County's health.
Jackson is the director of the Division of Community Nutrition Services at
the Duval County Health Department. She is responsible for overseeing such
programs as the Women, Infants and Children (WIC) program, the Breastfeeding
Education and Support Program, the Obesity Prevention Program and Medical
Nutrition Therapy.
That all translates into helping thousands of Duval County residents. In the
WIC program alone, Jackson has a $20 million budget and assists more than 19,500
families. The goal is ambitious — to improve the lifelong health and nutrition
of pregnant women, new mothers, infants and children by providing nutrition
education, supplemental food and health as well as social service referrals. She
loves the challenge.
Jackson can trace her community service career to UNF where she earned a
master's in Public Administration in 1992. She credits one faculty member in
particular, Dr. Henry Thomas, with motivating her to pursue the degree. “Dr.
Thomas was so dedicated to the course and helped me see the importance of being
part of social change. He greatly impacted my life.”
A native of Detroit, Jackson received her bachelor's degree from Wayne State
University and a master's in nutrition from Eastern Michigan University then
moved to Florida in 1989 with her husband, Joseph, who is a native of
Jacksonville Beach. With a background as a hospital registered dietician,
Jackson was a natural fit for the WIC program. During her internship at the
Detroit Health Department she was responsible for increasing participation from
7,000 to 30,000 individuals, one of the accomplishments of which she is the
proudest.
She also worked at the Northeast Florida State Hospital in Macclenny where
she became interested in administration issues affecting the 500–bed hospital.
She was going to UNF at the time and was intrigued by the real–world
applications of her course work. “With the UNF courses, I began looking at
practices in the hospital and working with various departments to resolve
problems.” She specifically recalls the study groups at UNF which allowed her to
exchange ideas with other students. “We were able to keep each other motivated
to finish.”
Jackson's UNF education also influenced her to become involved in a number of
civic groups. For example, she was president of the Hubbard House Board of
Directors at a time when they successfully raised $4.6 million to build a new
facility. “I feel very good that I was able to help more women get into a safe
environment.”
Other community organizations benefiting from her involvement include the
American Heart Association, the American Cancer Society and the Jacksonville
Community Council Inc. (JCCI) where she is serving as chair this year. “I'm
excited about the opportunity to talk about common issues affecting everyone and
building a community consensus.”
Jackson is also involved with the Women of Color Cultural Foundation, a 501C3
group she helped establish in 1999. The organization addresses inequalities in
health, education and economic development for women of color. Jackson helps
with the annual gala which raises money for scholarships. More than $100,000 in
scholarships has been awarded to students, including several attending UNF.
When she isn't involved in work or community activities, Jackson enjoys
walking and has even completed a walking marathon. “The last mile I actually ran
because I couldn't believe I saw the finish line.”
The key to a successful life, she maintains, is balancing work and play.
Helen Jackson appears to have done an outstanding job of achieving that
balance.
