Cari Jackson

Background

About Cari Jackson

Rev. Dr. Cari Jackson inspires and challenges diverse audiences around the world on a range of topics from interpersonal and intercultural communications to power dynamics and social justice. She uses her unique insights as a scholar, pastor, counselor, and organizational consultant to help individuals, organizations and communities realize and achieve greater purpose by helping them identify and overcome self-imposed limitations and systemic barriers. She strongly believes that “only as we live our lives authentically can we fully experience inner peace and be shapers of peace and justice in the world.” Dr. Cari is the founding director of Center of Spiritual Light, a non-profit community services organization which integrates resources from diverse spiritual traditions to help individuals and organizations re-imagine, re-invent, and re-position themselves for success. She is President/Lead Consultant of Excellent Way Consulting providing leadership coaching and guiding capacity-building and diversity/inclusion strategic planning for faith-oriented organizations, community service agencies, and academic institutions. Ordained in the United Church of Christ (UCC), Dr. Cari works ecumenically across religious and spiritual traditions. She has served as pastor of congregations in three Christian denominations, UCC, United Methodist Church, and Presbyterian Church-USA. She is adjunct faculty at Union Theological Seminary and One Spirit Interfaith Seminary, where she taught such courses as “The Christian Chase for Power” and “Ministry in Multicultural Contexts.” Dr. Cari holds her PhD in Christian Social Ethics (Drew University), MDiv (Union Theological Seminary), a JD (Univ of Maryland), and BA in Psychology and Sociology (Oberlin College). She is the author of five books: Still Got Game, Love Like You’ve Never Been Hurt, For the Souls of Black Folks, For the Least of These, and The Gift to Listen, The Courage to Hear. http://drcarijackson.com/