Dr. Jackson holds a bachelor’s degree in Political Science and English with a minor in African American studies from Gettysburg College. She holds a master’s in political science from American University’s School of Public Affairs: Department of Government and doctorate in Political Science from Howard University’s Department of Political Science with concentrations in Black Politics, American Government and Public Administration. Dr. Jackson’s dissertation work focused on issues of social justice and patterns of school desegregation in the post Brown era. She is currently on faculty at American University, School of Public Affairs Department of Justice, Law and Criminology where she teaches courses on Race Issues in Justice, Race and Justice in America,  Justice and Public Policy and American Experience II.

Dr. Jackson’s expertise includes an examination of racial disparities, equity and inclusion, segregation in the public education system and outcomes for children of color, disproportionality and disparate treatment of persons of color across systems. Additionally, Dr. Jackson’s areas of expertise includes the school to prison pipeline, criminal justice reform, and racial inequity across systems. She has served on numerous panels, providing speaking engagements for federal government on race equity, as well as authoring publications social justice, “What is Intolerance Fatigue,” “Ketanji Brown Jackson and the color-blind society of Martin Luther King Jr.,” “Black female prosecutors like Fani Willis face the unequal burden of both racist and sexist attacks,” and “Gospel singer Mahalia Jackson made a suggestion during the 1963 March on Washington − and it changed a good speech to a majestic sermon on an American dream.”

Dr. Jackson’s research experience includes contribution to the publication Putting the Movement Back into Civil Rights Teaching: A Resource Guide for Classrooms and Communities, as well as work at the Brookings Institution on racial health disparities in communities of color in Baltimore City, Maryland. Additionally, Bev-Freda has partnered with the National Council of Negro Women (NCNW) and the NAACP Young Adult Committee in addressing issues of social justice and education reform. Dr. Jackson was appointed to the Board of Counseling for the Commonwealth of Virginia for six years, 2016-2022 and also served on the Human Services Advisory Board for the City of Chesapeake, Virginia for four years, 2016-2020. She is currently a managing consultant at Guidehouse in the State and Local Government segment, her portfolio includes the NYMA and DMV markets.