AAFCS Weblog

Carolyn Jackson, CFCS
Executive Director
American Association of Family & Consumer Sciences 
I have been a family and consumer sciences (FCS) professional for many years, and I’m proud to be the current American Association of Family & Consumer Sciences (AAFCS) Executive Director.  I hope that this blog will provide a forum for thought-provoking discussions among professionals working in the field of family and consumer sciences.  I do not intend to portray that this blog represents the views of AAFCS or its members, so I acknowledge it is written from my own professional perspective and not my position.  I see the many positive ways that the work of FCS professionals influences lives.  I hope that through current news, hot topics, and highlights of your work, we can showcase the value of the profession and maybe even influence a small part of the world, one person at a time. 

Professional Background
My career includes both traditional and non-traditional uses of FCS.  With degrees in FCS Education and Family Economics, I began my career with the Kansas Extension Service.  I later moved to Washington, DC, to work for AAFCS (then called AHEA) as the head of membership, where I honed my skills in association management for a profession near and dear to me and made connections in the political arena after work hours.  From there, the divergence in my career began.  Dick Nickols from Kansas asked me to be the manager for his race to win a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives.  He won and subsequently asked me to serve as his congressional office chief of staff.  It was that position that prepared me for the next opportunity to create a public relations initiative for the Congressional Youth Leadership Council (CYLC) and Envision EMI, whose mission is to “create unique experiences that provide a lifetime advantage for high achievers.”  When leaving CYLC and Envision, I began my own consulting business aimed at “guiding young professionals in developing skills for success.”  Now I’m happy to be back to my core roots at AAFCS as the executive director with all of the wonderful opportunities that come with this position.  My career has followed the adage, “Life is what happens when you are planning something else,” and I couldn’t be more excited about the professional journey I have had with my background in family and consumer sciences.