EP26 Cheryle Jackson Founder Grit & Grace Movement

Cheryle Robinson Jackson is Senior Vice President of Global Business Development and President of AAR Africa for AAR, a global aviation services company. Jackson served as AAR’s Vice President of Government Affairs and Corporate Development after joining the company in 2010 and added business development to her responsibilities and succeeded in growing AAR’s business in Africa. As Senior Vice President of Global Development, Jackson identifies new business opportunities and strategic industry and business partners in emerging, existing and underperforming markets, and cultivates strong relationships to bridge the cultural gap and align industry goals with local economic revitalization objectives.

Jackson serves as a director on the boards of Business Council for International Understanding (BCIU), a national organization dedicated to facilitating person‐to‐person relationships between business government leaders worldwide. She also serves on the board of the Congressional Black Caucus Policy Institute and is a member of the Corporate Council on Africa. Jackson was appointed to the U.S. on Trade for Africa and serves on the Illinois District Export Council.

Before joining AAR, Jackson was a candidate for President Obama’s once‐vacant U.S. Senate seat in 2010 and was the first female president and CEO of the Chicago Urban League. In that capacity, she led one of the most transformational periods of growth at the venerable civil rights organization, shifting its focus from social services to economic development.

Jackson also served as communications director for the Governor of Illinois and was the first woman and African American in the state’s history to hold that position. Her professional experience also includes senior-level positions at Amtrak and NPR (National Public Radio).