The 2022 Leadership Award will be presented by the Kaplan Educational Foundation (KEF), which works to remove barriers to higher education for diverse community college students and empower them as leaders for the American workforce and their communities.

Jackson and Sánchez-Badillo will be honored for their lifelong commitment to inclusion and diversity, specifically their leadership in promoting student access and success by strengthening resources around the entire student experience.

About Dr Jackson

Jackson, who serves as Head of Product for Firmwide Employee Experience for Integrated Help at JPMorgan Chase & Co., is responsible for overseeing the global management and strategy development of this function, which is focused in modernizing and improving the employee experience.

As we prepare for our Kaplan Educational Foundation Gala later this month, we wanted to take the time to let you meet our 2022 honorees. We are so excited to welcome Dr. Jackson!

Be sure to get your tickets at the link in our bio- we look forward to seeing you there! pic.twitter.com/gSjhFtZzWp

— KaplanEdFoundation (@KaplanEdFdn) October 12, 2022

He has also held other global roles, including firmwide head of Learning and Career Experience across the company, as well as various national leadership roles in both commercial and business banking, serving as a customer service executive for both lines of business. Currently, Jackson is the Co-Chair of BOLD (Black Organization for Leadership Development) Business Resource Group.

He is also an active advocate for diversity and inclusion, most notably as a Brooklyn International High School Teaching Entrepreneurship Reviewer and working with students to help develop business endeavors in urban markets. He was a winner of the YMCA Black Achievers in Industry Award.

About Sánchez-Badillo

With more than 22 years of experience providing increased access to higher education and fostering leadership among low-income and diverse students, Dr. Sánchez-Badillo works to enhance the college experience through collaborative partnerships and services that focus directly on reducing the factors that affect the obtaining titles process. 

We're so excited to welcome former KEF Executive Director, Dr. Nancy Lee Sánchez-Badillo, as an honoree at our 2022 Gala and hope you are as excited as we are!

Be sure to check out her full bio on our other socials or website! pic.twitter.com/oeBkUV9uEp

— KaplanEdFoundation (@KaplanEdFdn) October 5, 2022

As the founding director of Academic Advising and Student Development at KEF, Sánchez-Badillo is responsible for the design and implementation of the Kaplan Leadership Program (KLP) model, which focuses on developing the whole student while preparing him or her for a life of leadership, personal, financial and socially conscious professional leadership.

Sánchez-Badillo, who completed an Executive Leadership Program at Harvard University's John F. Kennedy School of Government and a Leadership Development Program at the Center for Creative Leadership, is currently Chief Opportunity Officer at the Society of Honor Phi Theta Kappa and continues to serve as a member of the Kaplan Educational Foundation Board of Directors and strategic partner. She was also recognized as a National Hispanic Executive Leadership Fellow in 2014.

About KEF

It is an independent 501(c)(3) public charity that, through the Leadership Program, created in 2006, helps high-potential, low-income, and underrepresented community college students complete their associate's degree, transfer with success and earn a four-year bachelor's degree from several of the nation's most selective schools, including Yale, Stanford, Brown, Princeton, Amherst, Cornell, Mount Holyoke, Smith, and many others.

Taking a holistic approach, the program provides extensive tutoring, academic advising services, leadership and career training, living stipends, and other resources and support to help them expand their personal goals and ultimately achieve leadership roles in their careers and through their communities.

Reactions

“Dr. Jackson and Dr. Sánchez-Badillo have been committed to expanding educational access and developing students from diverse backgrounds. Their leadership is an example for all of us working to eliminate barriers for our country’s next generation of high achievers and future leaders,” said Melissa Mack, Chairman of the Foundation and Chief Communications & HR Officer at global educational services company Kaplan, Inc.

For his part, Dr. Jackson noted: “It is beyond an honor to be recognized by an organization of the caliber of the Kaplan Educational Foundation due to its hard work and commitment to educational and economic equality. The work of the Kaplan Educational Foundation is central to uplifting our communities and building a more equitable and accessible economy for all through its investments in high-quality career-focused education programs.”

"There is no greater honor than to be recognized by an organization that affirms that the talent, intellect, leadership, and compassion that resides in marginalized communities deserves recognition, investment, and development. KEF has reiterated that given the opportunity, they can excel in the most competitive environments and lead in their communities and professions. I am proud beyond words,” stated Dr. Sánchez-Badillo.

The 2022 Annual Benefit celebrates KEF's sixteenth year of removing barriers to higher education and serves as the organization's flagship fundraising event. To attend or sponsor the event, click here.