Lisa P. Jackson

Lisa P. Jackson is an American chemical engineer and environmental administrator. She served as the Administrator of the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) from 2009 to 2013. Jackson is the first African-American woman to have held that position.

Early life and education

Jackson was born on February 8, 1962, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She was adopted weeks after her birth by Benjamin and Marie Perez, and grew up in New Orleans, Louisiana. Jackson earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemical Engineering from Tulane University in 1983. She later earned a Master of Science degree in Chemical Engineering from Princeton University in 1986.

Career

Jackson began her professional career as a staff-level engineer at the EPA in 1987. She worked in the agency's Superfund site remediation program. In 2002, she joined the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) and served as its Commissioner from 2006 to 2008.

In 2008, Jackson was appointed as the Chief of Staff to New Jersey Governor Jon Corzine. In December 2008, President-elect Barack Obama nominated Jackson to serve as the Administrator of the EPA. She was confirmed by the United States Senate in January 2009 and served until February 2013.

After leaving the EPA, Jackson joined Apple Inc. as its Vice President of Environment, Policy, and Social Initiatives. In this role, she oversees Apple's efforts to minimize its impact on the environment.

Personal life

Jackson is married to Kenneth Jackson and they have two sons. She is a resident of East Windsor Township, New Jersey.

See also

• List of African-American United States Cabinet Secretaries
• List of female United States Cabinet Secretaries

External links

• EPA biography