Jack Jackson, Jr.

Jack Jackson, Jr., a member of the Navajo Nation, is from the Near The Water (Tó’áhaní) Clan, and born for the Towering House (Kinyaa’áanii) Clan. His maternal grandfather is from the Water’s Edge (Tábąąhá) Clan, and his paternal grandfather is from the Salt (Áshįįhí) Clan. He was born and raised on the Navajo reservation in Arizona.

Jack is a lifelong Democrat who served as a delegate to both the 2004 and 2008 Democratic Conventions.

Jack currently serves as a Principal in the Agassiz Group, a Governmental Affairs and Public Policy Consulting Firm that assists individuals, communities and businesses affected by governmental and regulatory actions in Arizona.

In 1989, after obtaining his Juris Doctorate degree from the Syracuse University School of Law, Jack moved to Washington, DC where he worked for 12 years representing tribal governments and organizations. He began his advocacy career as a Legislative Associate, and then was promoted to Deputy Director for the Navajo Nation Washington Office representing the concerns of his people before the federal government and various agencies.

In 1995, Jack began his work as a Legislative Analyst at the National Indian Education Association, the largest and oldest Indian education organization in the nation. During his tenure, he represented the educational concerns of over 3,000 American Indian and Native Alaskan educators, school administrators, teachers, parents, and students. During the Fiscal Year 1996 budget negotiations, he worked tirelessly with tribal leadership to reinstate full funding of $81 million to the Office of Indian Education in the Department of Education.

In 1997, Jack became the Director of Governmental Affairs for the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI), the oldest, largest and most representative Indian advocacy organization in the nation for over 250 tribal governments. His main responsibility was overseeing legislative and appropriation measures before the United States Congress affecting Indian Country.

While at NCAI, Jack helped create a strong and credible Native influence at the national, state and local levels. He assisted in the design of a comprehensive government-to-government strategy, which resulted in three unprecedented Executive Orders issued by President Clinton and several Presidential Memorandums and Directives relevant to the needs and concerns of Indian Country. These actions protected Native American sacred sites and required appropriate consultation with tribal governments.

Jack also represented NCAI as a member of the Executive Committee of the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights (LCCR). Founded in 1950, the LCCR has coordinated the national legislative campaign on behalf of every major civil rights law since 1957.

From 2003 to 2005, Jack served in the 46th Arizona State Legislature in the House of Representatives representing District 2 in Northern Arizona which included the City of Flagstaff, the Navajo Nation, the Hopi, Havasupai, Hualapai, and San Juan Southern Paiute Tribes. Representative Jackson served on the Ways and Means Committee as ranking Democratic Member and the Natural Resources, Agriculture, Water and Native American Affairs Committee. Jack was appointed to a vacated seat in the powerful Appropriations Committee in order to bring his unique tribal and regional perspective to budget discussions.

His greatest joy was working along side his father, Senator Jack C. Jackson, Sr., who served at the Arizona State Legislature from 1985 to 2004. He and Senator Jackson became the first father and son to serve together in the Arizona State Legislature.

In 2005, Jack was appointed by Arizona Governor Janet Napolitano as the Executive Director of the Arizona Commission of Indian Affairs (ACIA). His main duty was to ensure that the Commission provided assistance to the State of Arizona in fulfilling its responsibilities to Arizona’s 22 Indian Nations and Tribes by making recommendations to the Governor and the Legislature. He conferred and coordinated with officials and agencies of other governmental units regarding Indian issues, and worked to provide improved relationships and a greater understanding between tribal governments and the State.

During his tenure, Jack and his staff put together one of the most successful Arizona Indian Town Halls which focused on Homeland Security on Arizona Tribal land. He worked with the Office of the Governor and the State Legislature throughout the annual appropriations process to ensure continual funding of the Commission. He also implemented innovative approaches in conducting the Annual Indian Nation and Tribes Legislative Day. He worked effectively with the Governor’s Tribal Liaison Group to coordinate with other agencies and members of the Legislature to address Indian issues.

In September 2005, he left this post to run for Congress as a Representative for Congressional District One. This endeavor provided a peerless experience regarding fundraising and community outreach.

From 2006 to 2009, Jack worked as the Director of Community Relations for AeroCare Medical Transport, Inc., a fixed-wing air ambulance company providing service to the Navajo Nation and Northern Arizona. In October 2007, he became one of five co-owners of the company, establishing AeroCare as a native majority owned business.

In October 2007, Jack was confirmed by the Navajo Nation Council to serve on the Navajo Gaming Enterprise Board. He and the other board members worked at establishing the first Navajo Nation casino. The Fire Rock Casino opened on November 19, 2008. This was the first Native American gaming enterprise in the United States ever to be funded solely through tribal monies.

On February 2, 2010, Jack was appointed to serve on President Obama’s Advisory Council on HIV/AIDS. He previously sat on President Clinton’s HIV/AIDS Council in 1999. He has also served on the boards of the National Native American AIDS Prevention Center, Phoenix Body Positive, Arizona Real Estate Advisory Board, Arizonans for Cultural Development, and Arizona League of Conservation Voters.