CELIA JACKSON
Seattle,WA
Overview
10
10
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Director of Strategic Partnerships and Initiatives
King County - Office of the Executive
01.2025 - Current
- Appointed to support the Executive's 200 Day Plan, leading cross-departmental coordination on public safety strategy during a period of executive transition.
- Designed and executed countywide community engagement initiative, coordinating outreach to 70+ organizations and facilitating 11 listening sessions to center community voice in public safety policy.
- Synthesized findings from listening sessions and three county summits (Crime Survivors, Transit Safety, Crisis Responder) into strategic recommendations that directly informed 2026-2027 budget priorities and the Executive’s Public Safety Roundtable agenda.
Director of Criminal Legal System Transformation
King County - Office of the Executive
01.2022 - 01.2025
- Directed Care & Closure initiative, engaging over 2,000 community members and facilitating a multi-sector advisory board to develop six recommendations for ending youth incarceration.
- Secured $500K federal OJJDP grant to design community care home pilot based on Care & Closure recommendations; currently leading implementation planning.
- Brokered programmatic restructuring of Restorative Community Pathways amid stakeholder conflict, transitioning oversight to county leadership to strengthen accountability and program sustainability.
- Established ongoing youth engagement program at the Children and Family Justice Center, centering lived experience in juvenile justice reform efforts.
Campaign Manager
Best Starts for Kids Campaign Committee
01.2021 - 2021
- Managed successful $750 million levy renewal campaign, winning with 62% voter approval.
- Directed countywide voter contact strategy and managed campaign operations, including fundraising efforts totaling $879,000.
- Built coalition of elected officials, labor partners, and community leaders to advance the county’s largest investment in youth and family prevention services.
Director of State Relations
King County - Office of the Executive
01.2019 - 01.2022
- Led King County’s state legislative strategy, managing a team of three contract lobbyists and 15+ legislative liaisons across 13 departments to advance the county’s annual agenda in Olympia.
- Championed passage of SB 5290, landmark legislation eliminating youth detention for non-criminal offenses in a state that had led the nation in incarcerating status offenders.
- Co-led development of King County’s first anti-racist policy agenda and budget proposal following the Executive’s declaration of racism as a public health crisis—groundwork that led to the $25 million Gathering Collaborative participatory budgeting initiative.
- Advised the Executive and senior leadership on legislative and policy strategy, translating county priorities into coalition support and legislative wins.
Deputy Director of Government Relations
King County - Office of the Executive
01.2018 - 01.2019
- Developed intergovernmental strategy for the Roadmap to Zero Youth Detention, laying groundwork for the county’s juvenile justice transformation initiatives.
- Coordinated legislative strategy across 13 departments, ensuring alignment between government relations efforts and Executive priorities.
- Served as primary liaison to state legislators and local elected officials on time-sensitive county issues.
External Relations Specialist
King County - Office of the Executive
01.2017 - 01.2018
- Represented the Executive in community listening sessions with stakeholder groups, coalitions, and constituency groups across King County.
- Briefed the Executive on policy matters important to communities, ensuring community voice informed leadership decisions.
- Coordinated public engagement strategy across Government Relations, Policy, and Communications teams.
King Co. Regional Field Director
Washington State Democrats
01.2016 - 2016
- Recruited, trained, and managed 11 Field Organizers across three offices and 15 legislative districts in King County.
- Planned and led six presidential caucus trainings for underrepresented communities to increase voter participation.
- Executed voter contact operation that mobilized 2,500 volunteers to knock 250,000 doors and make 375,000 calls for the 2016 general election.
Education
Bachelor's Degree - Marketing & Visual Communications
The Illinois Institute of Art
Chicago01-2013
Skills
- Strategic Policy Planning
- Government Relations
- Policy Negotiation
- Public Advocacy
- Coalition Building
- Community Engagement
- Project Management
- Legislative Strategy
- Report & Brief Writing
- Program Leadership
- Technical: LobbyGov, NGP Votebuilder, Microsoft Office Suite, Adobe Acrobat, Canva
Certification
Advancing Racial Justice and Equity in Youth Legal Systems, Certificate Program, Georgetown University - 2023
RELEVANT ACTIVITIES
Legal System Reform Panelist — Washington State Labor Council & MLK Labor Council New Candidate Trainings - 2019 & 2021
Timeline
Director of Strategic Partnerships and Initiatives
King County - Office of the Executive
01.2025 - Current
Director of Criminal Legal System Transformation
King County - Office of the Executive
01.2022 - 01.2025
Campaign Manager
Best Starts for Kids Campaign Committee
01.2021 - 2021
Director of State Relations
King County - Office of the Executive
01.2019 - 01.2022
Deputy Director of Government Relations
King County - Office of the Executive
01.2018 - 01.2019
External Relations Specialist
King County - Office of the Executive
01.2017 - 01.2018
King Co. Regional Field Director
Washington State Democrats
01.2016 - 2016
Bachelor's Degree - Marketing & Visual Communications
The Illinois Institute of Art