Dr. Jackie Copeland-Carson, an anthropologist and urban designer, has worked as a philanthropy and development expert for almost 30 years. Throughout her career she has worked in diverse countries, cultures and organizations to make the world a better place for all. She has served as an executive, evaluator or researcher with numerous foundations, corporations and social enterprises, including the Ford, McKnight, Philadelphia, Noyes, Women’s Funding Network, Grantmakers Concerned with Immigrants and Refugees, Bertelsmann, Avery Dennison, US Bank, Proctor & Gamble (P & G) among many others.
Whether helping the Federal Reserve Bank meet the capital financing needs of religious minorities; designing Avery Dennison’s corporate social responsibility program; assisting P & G with corporate strategy; working as the program vice president of a large community foundation; or helping to build the capacity of grassroots social innovators, Jackie practically applies the best from social science, business and communities to meet the real needs of change agents from all walks of life working to improve our world.
Most recently she was the founding executive director of a start-up public foundation, the African Women’s Development Fund USA. She co-developed and implemented a groundbreaking start-up strategic plan with the board including an award-winning maternal health initiative, social media strategy, outreach, research and grantmaking programs. In just three years, she raised 12 times more funds than the organization raised in its entire 12-year history through a diverse portfolio of individual, corporate, crowdfunding, foundation other sources. Other outcomes include raising awareness of the African maternal health crisis among 12 million Americans and helping to improve the lives of almost 2 million African women in 345 communities across 35 countries in just three years.
An innovative social financier, she designed and managed US Bank Private Client Group’s national Philanthropic Services Program, creating foundations and other giving vehicles managing grantmaking for diverse family foundations, trusts and high net worth individuals as part of the Bank’s core business line. As a direct result of her efforts, the Bank increased its private foundation, donor advised funds and service fee under management by almost $1 billion. She also professionalized the Bank’s private client foundation management, increasing community access to these often invisible grant resources.
A well-respected evaluator, she is recognized for her contributions to the evaluation of social change and movements especially across cultures.
Jackie’s influential writings are shaping trends in multiple fields. For example, “Pan-Africanizing Philanthropy” (Palgrave, 2012); ”Kenyan Diaspora Philanthropy” (TPI/Harvard University, 2007); Creating Evaluation Anthropology (with Mary O. Butler, Wiley & Sons 2005)); Creating Africa in America (University of Pennsylvania, 2004) examine various issues in the diaspora fundraising, global affairs, community development and women’s leadership. A Huffington Post blogger on diaspora giving issues, she has a growing online following, which she mobilizes as allies for social justice movement building.
A recipient of multiple leadership awards and member of dozens of boards throughout her career, Jackie holds two masters degrees, one in urban planning and the other in cultural anthropology, with a Ph.D. in anthropology (African/African diaspora and South Asian concentration) all from the University of Pennsylvania. Her undergraduate degrees are from Georgetown University in literature with a certificate in African studies from its School for Foreign Service, including study at Obafemi Awolowo University in Nigeria.
A jazz and gospel singer, she cut her first CD, “Basic Black,” in 2010 under her stage name, Bouvier. In addition to spending downtime with her family, she enjoys cooking and especially eating, low country cuisine and is a certified Zumba instructor.
Jacqueline Copeland-Carson 