“My life has been a series of interesting zigs and zags,” says Lynnette Jackson.
As the eldest daughter of two educators, Jackson was raised to value and invest in her education. She graduated in 1993 from Laurel School in Shaker Heights, where she played field hockey and basketball and was president of student government. An all-girls population provided an environment for Jackson where she could truly thrive.
“I could be myself and not worry about what I looked like,” says the 34-year-old. “I got the support I needed in the areas in which I didn’t excel, and it allowed me to be a leader in areas where I did excel. Laurel definitely had a big impact on me.”
Jackson attributes her passion and dedication toward improving female leadership to Laurel School. Since graduation, she has been a member of the alumnae association, where she founded a mock college interview program to boost self-confidence in the girls as they seek to further their education. This year, she was nominated to be the first African-American president of the more-than-3,000-member association.
Unsure of her true passion, Jackson chose to study environmental science at Hampton University in Virginia. “We used to dissect pigs and frogs at the dining room table,” she recalls. “My mother was an [Advanced Placement] biology teacher, so there was no excuse for getting bad science grades. I happened to be good at it, so I majored in it.”
After graduation, she worked as an environmental chemist. Like most recent college grads, she was excited to receive a paycheck, but wasn’t feeling fulfilled. She needed to satiate her urge to give back to the community, which prompted her to join the Junior League.
“I discovered that I didn’t belong in the science world,” says Jackson. “I’m a people person.”
She joined Bridge Builders, which provides leadership training to young professionals. “I got to meet many like-minded individuals who were also passionate about Cleveland,” she says. Through her community outreach with Bridge Builders and the Junior League, Jackson volunteered with Jane Campbell’s 2001 mayoral campaign.
After Campbell’s election, Jackson was invited to join the mayor’s cabinet as her special assistant. She was the cabinet’s youngest member.
“I didn’t have a degree in political science, and I thought I might be getting in over my head,” says Jackson. “But I’m a risk taker, so I went for it.”
She describes the job as a “total black-and-white difference” from her work as a chemist at URS Corp. She was on call around the clock, traveled with the mayor, briefed her on issues important to Clevelanders and planned various events. “I never really sat down,” she says.
When she was 30, Jackson decided to invest further in her education, so she earned an MBA from Case Western Reserve University’s Weatherhead School of Management. Currently she is a client adviser, certified wealth strategist and certified women’s business advocate for the Private Client Group of National City, now a part of PNC.
“In the business world, I get to use my people skills and the analytical side of my brain,” says Jackson. “Where I am right now is where I’m the happiest.”
Life Lessons
A face-to-face meeting or a telephone conversation is always better. It may be harder for this generation, but it deepens the relationship.
Take the time to send a handwritten note — with a stamp! It shows that the person is genuine and authentic.
Never give up an opportunity to get to know someone based on who they are perceived to be. Some people may have fancy titles, but they might not have any power or pull. Have an open mind and be willing to listen, because sometimes it’s the person in the dirty jeans that has the money.
It’s not about the questions asked, but the answers given. In politics, no one hears the question, but they hear the sound bites on television or read the statement in the newspaper.
Every now and then I get asked how I manage my time. The answer is: I don’t.
My community work ties into my career. Maybe because I’m single and I don’t have children and I’m only responsible for myself, I don’t have a separate personal life. Volunteering is what I choose to do in my free time.