Dena L. Jackson serves as the Strategic Project Director at Asset Funders Network (AFN) with a primary focus on the intersection of asset building challenges and best practices for women.
Before AFN, Dena was the Interim CEO of Texas Women’s Foundation after 12 years in various leadership roles in grantmaking, operations and strategy. She was vice president of education at Dallas Regional Chamber and served as assistant vice president for development and research development at the University of Texas at Dallas. Dena’s career has been focused on the lives of women in healthcare, cancer prevention, mental health and economic capability – specifically housing stability, reproductive justice and childcare access.
Dena earned her Ph.D. in Health Studies at Texas Woman’s University along with a master’s in education and bachelor’s in psychology from the University of North Texas. She received a graduate management certification from Cox School of Business at Southern Methodist University and is a graduate of Leadership Women and Leadership North Texas. Dena currently serves on the boards of Inclusive Communities Project in Dallas and Dallas Afterschool. She resides in Dallas, Texas.
Contact: dena@assetfunders.org
Pronouns: she/her/hers