Kimberly M. Jackson
Kimberly M. Jackson is a foreign affairs specialist within the Office of the Secretary of Defense’s Special Operations & Combating Terrorism policy division, where she develops policy for and oversees the United States Special Operations Command’s Major Force Program 11 activities and counterterrorism authorities.
Previously, Ms. Jackson managed integration strategy with theater special operations units for Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC), analyzed global combatant command organization for the Secretary’s efficiencies review in OSD’s Cost Assessment and Program Evaluation office, and served as a future operations planner at Special Operations Command South. In 2011, Ms. Jackson deployed to Sana'a, Yemen as Director for Policy and Plans for Special Operations Command Central's forward element.
Prior to joining OSD, Ms. Jackson was a policy analyst for Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA) and a consultant in the private defense industry. Ms. Jackson also previously served as the military and foreign policy advisor to U.S. Senator Mark Dayton and received the Minnesota National Guard Outstanding Service Award for her work in developing legislation on Reserve component redeployment support programs. Ms. Jackson has participated in both the Secretary of Defense’s Highlands Forum and the German Defense Ministry’s Manfred Woerner Seminar, and was a Presidential Management Fellow in the Office of the Secretary of Defense. She earned a Master of Public Health and a Master of Public Policy from the University of California, Berkeley, and a bachelor's degree in journalism and sports management from the University of Minnesota, where she graduated summa cum laude. She holds both the Joint Civilian Service Commendation Award and the Global War on Terrorism Civilian Service Medal