The Women’s Foundation of Alabama has named Kimberly L. Jackson as its next president and CEO, effective June 16, 2025. Jackson will succeed Melanie R. Bridgeforth, whose transformative seven-year tenure expanded the Foundation’s influence statewide through research, policy advocacy and strategic philanthropy aimed at advancing women’s economic opportunity.
The announcement follows a national executive search led by BoardWalk Consulting and an interim leadership period under LaShundra Pinkard. With Jackson’s appointment, the Foundation begins a new chapter of growth, guided by a leader with more than two decades of experience in corporate strategy, community investment and nonprofit governance.
Jackson most recently served as Government and Community Relations manager for the Birmingham Division of Alabama Power Company, where she led civic partnerships across Jefferson, Shelby and St. Clair counties. She is also board chair of the Hoover Area Chamber of Commerce and is widely recognized for her work in economic development and cross-sector collaboration.
“As a fellow colleague at Alabama Power, I’ve had a front row seat to Kimberly’s consistent demonstration of leadership and an unwavering dedication to mission-driven results,” said Yvonne Essix, vice president of Transmission Construction and Protection and Control, board member of the Women’s Foundation. “Her community-first spirit and deep knowledge of economic development from a systems and a people perspective will continue to drive women and the economy forward, which is exactly what Alabama needs in this moment.”
The Foundation, Alabama’s leading voice and philanthropic engine for women’s economic advancement, has set an ambitious goal of moving 10,000 women into the workforce by 2027. Jackson’s appointment comes at a critical moment in the Foundation’s efforts to meet that challenge and broaden its impact.
“Alabama is home—and this mission is vital to Alabama,” Jackson said. “As a daughter of this state, I know the strength of our communities—and the barriers women still face even amidst great progress. We have an opportunity to continue shaping policy, influencing philanthropy, and delivering economic strategies that reach women where they are. I’m ready to get to work—partnering with communities, investing in solutions, and making sure progress isn’t just promised, but felt across the entire state of Alabama.”
Elizabeth Goodrich, chair of the Foundation’s Board of Directors, expressed confidence in Jackson’s ability to lead the organization into its next era.
“In Kimberly Jackson, we have found the right leader to carry forward our mission of impacting the world around us by accelerating economic opportunity for women,” Goodrich said. “This search was led by our Board with care and discernment, and we are confident that Kimberly’s results-driven leadership will strengthen our statewide impact in both proven and innovative ways.”
The Women’s Foundation of Alabama is expected to formally introduce Jackson to stakeholders in a series of events later this summer.
