Hannah-Beth Jackson, former Representative in the California State Assembly, 35th
District, will be joining the Department of Political Science as a Visiting Professor
in Winter Quarter, 2006. As part of a new program established by Dean Melvin Oliver
in the Division of Social Science, Ms. Jackson is the Division's first resident Public
Policymaker and will split her time between Sociology (fall) and Political Science
(Winter). In Political Science, Ms. Jackson will co-teach "Leadership in California
Politics and Policy-Making" with Professor John Woolley. As a member of the State Assembly, Hannah-Beth Jackson served on the legislative Budget, Judiciary, and Higher Education standing committees; drafted legislation on environmental and health care issues, consumer affairs, child protection and domestic violence, and a balanced budget; and had sixty of her bills signed into law. She has been awarded the "Outstanding Public Service Award" by the California School and Employees Association, and also has been voted "Legislator of the Year" by the Consumer Federation of California, the Congress of California Seniors, the California League of Conservation Voters, and the National Organization for Women.
Ms. Jackson received her B.A. in government and sociology from Scripps College and her J.D. from Boston University Law School. Her professional achievements before being elected to the State Assembly include service as a Santa Barbara County Deputy District Attorney and a partner in a family law practice. She is a founding member of the Santa Barbara Women Lawyers, as well as a founding member and past president of the Santa Barbara Women's Political Committee. In recognition of distinctive achievements and sustained growth in her chosen field, Ms. Jackson was the recipient of the 2001 Scripps College Distinguished Alumna Award.
Since leaving public office due to term limits, Hannah-Beth Jackson currently serves as President of the Institute for the Renewal of the California Dream (http://speakoutca.org/).