Takiyah Jackson
Director of Thriving for African American Initiatives
Takiyah Jackson is the Director of Thriving for African American Initiatives which includes, African-American Student Development, the Fannie Lou Hamer Black Resource Center, and the UC Berkeley African American Initiative Steering Committee. Takiyah works with campus leadership to look at transformative strategies using an equity, inclusion, and belonging lens. As the leader of the Black Community on campus, Takiyah works with departments and programs across campus to ensure that belonging is threaded through the institution for Black people. She also serves on numerous campus committees aimed at improving and transforming the campus culture and climate. As a leader of African American Student Development, Fannie Lou Hamer Black Resource Center, and the African American Initiative, Takiyah also serves as a consultant to many other institutions across the nation as they are looking to build a similar structure to the one she has created to support Black community members at UC Berkeley.
She is a Seattle native who has been passionately involved in her community for over 20 years through education, community engagement, and athletics. Her work in education includes state policy work, comprehensive counseling and student development programming, social-emotional program development, career readiness planning, and professional development facilitation. Takiyah also leads a community group and has provided resources for students and families for over 15 years. She is a whole-person advocate and has worked with schools to incorporate social justice and social-emotional learning and support into the fabric of their schools. In 2012, She was appointed by Washington State Governor Christine Gregoire to the Washington State Professional Educator Standards Board and re-appointed for a second term by Governor Jay Inslee in 2014. In her gubernatorial appointment, her work included regulatory policy-making and oversight of Washington’s system of educator preparation, certification, continuing education and assignment, program implementer of legislatively mandated programs, advocate for policy, programs and resources for students and educators, and strategic advisor to the Governor, the Legislature, and the Superintendent of Public Instruction. Takiyah graduated from UCLA in the year 2000 and received her Master’s Degree in Education and Counseling from Seattle Pacific University in 2003. In 2009 she received her National Board Certification in Counseling. Takiyah was a member of the UCLA women’s basketball team that won the Pac-10 championship and made it to the NCAA tournament elite eight in 1999. She was also a 1995 Nike, Gatorade, Street& Smiths, Parade Magazine and WBCA First Team All-American. Takiyah’s proudest accomplishment is being a mother to her 6 year old son Weston who has been a constant presence on campus since he was born.
Please feel free to check her bCal to connect with her or email her at takiyah.jackson@berkeley.edu for any inquiries.
Emerald Green
Assistant Director of African American Student Development
Emerald Green (She/Her/Hers) currently serves as the Assistant Director of African American Student Development and works alongside the Fannie Lou Hamer Black Resource Center team. Prior to coming back to Berkeley, she served as the Program Director for the Black Leadership and Opportunity Center (The BLOC) at San Jose State University (SJSU), directly advancing Black student success and elevating Black excellence through identity and cultural programming, student leadership development, pre-matriculation, Black Graduation, and Black History Month programs and initiatives. Through this role, she strengthened campus-wide and community partnerships with key organizations such as the African American Community Service Agency (AACSA), a San Jose family resource center that awarded the BLOC with the Excellence in Education Award in 2023 during her tenure.
Emerald received her Bachelor's from SJSU in Child and Adolescent Development (CHAD), and a Master's degree from the University of San Francisco (USF) in Higher Education and Student Affairs (HESA). Emerald is currently a Doctoral candidate at USF in the Organization and Leadership (Ed.D.) program, where her scholarship has focused on Black first-generation students, identity-based cultural centers, student activism, leadership, and organizational theory and change. Emerald's 10 year journey in Higher Education has brought an array of unique experiences supporting diverse student populations in campus Athletics and Study Abroad, with an emphasis on supporting students holistically. She is an equity-minded educator, and brings with her direct experience and leadership in the following functional areas: Orientation and Transition, Fraternity and Sorority Life, Student Conduct, and Cultural and Affinity Space work.
Lez’li Waller
Leadership Program Manager
Lez’li Waller, a native of Omaha, NE., currently serves as the Leadership Program Manager at the University of California, Berkeley’s African American Student Development Office. Lez’li oversees student-led community programming, manages multiple event budgets, and collaborates with departmental leadership to advance service goals. She has successfully executed high-profile events such as the Louise Patterson Awards Ceremony, Black Graduation Reception, and Black Wednesday community meetings, ensuring meaningful experiences for students, faculty, and staff. She has a leadership program management, research, and community engagement background. With extensive experience in higher education, event coordination, and student support, she is committed to fostering inclusive academic and social spaces, particularly for underrepresented student populations. Prior to her roles at UC Berkeley, Lez’li provided academic support at Las Positas College, where she assisted first-generation and underrepresented students as a Counselor Assistant II/EOPS Student Assistant. She also has a strong background in retail management and human resources.
Lez’li holds a Bachelor of Arts in African American Studies and Sociology with a minor in: Race and the Law from UC Berkeley, where she graduated Cum Laude. She also earned an Associate of Arts in Psychology and Behavioral & Social Sciences from Las Positas College. A dedicated advocate for student empowerment, Lez’li has held leadership roles in organizations such as the Black Student Union (External VP), Black Sociological Alliance (Social Consciousness Chair), and Black Recruitment Retention Center (Operational Manager). She has been honored with multiple awards, including the African American Studies Departmental Citation Award and fellowships such as the Undergraduate Research Apprentice Program Fellow. With a passion for education, research, and community impact, Lez’li continues to champion initiatives that create equitable opportunities and lasting institutional change.