About Commissioner Lisa P. Jackson
New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection

Commissioner Lisa P. Jackson and Governor Jon S. Corzine at the bill-signing ceremony for the Green Acres, Farmland, Blue Acres and Historic Preservation Bond Act of 2007, which put Public Question #3 on the November 2007 ballot.

As Commissioner of the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), Lisa P. Jackson leads a staff of over 3,000 professionals dedicated to protecting, sustaining and enhancing New Jersey’s water, air and land, and preserving its wealth of natural and historic resources.

Before her nomination by Governor Corzine, Jackson served as the DEP’s Assistant Commissioner for Land Use Management. Under her leadership, the DEP crafted regulatory standards for implementing the landmark Highlands Water Protection and Planning Act.

Upon joining DEP, Jackson served as Assistant Commissioner for the Division of Compliance and Enforcement.  As the department’s chief environmental enforcer, Jackson led pioneering compliance sweeps in Camden, NJ and Paterson, NJ where families live in close proximity to regulated facilities. Working with the county officials, State Police and EPA, DEP mobilized more than 200 inspectors to conduct more than 2,100 compliance investigations and issued more than 500 violations in the two cities.

Prior to joining DEP, Jackson served for 16 years with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), initially at its headquarters in Washington and more recently at its regional office in New York City.  During her tenure at the EPA, Jackson worked in the federal Superfund site remediation program developing key hazardous waste cleanup regulations, overseeing hazardous waste cleanup projects throughout central New Jersey and directing multimillion-dollar cleanup operations. She later served as deputy director and acting director of the region’s enforcement division.

Jackson currently serves on several boards and committees, including the NJ Outdoor Women's League, Inc., New Jersey Sustainable State Institute, New Jersey Development Council, NJ Intergovernmental Protection Commission, the Executive Committee of the Natural Resources Leadership Council of the States, the Board of Trustees for Prosperity NJ, FIX DMV and the Governor's Intergovernmental Relations Commission, in addition to serving as Chair of the Ozone Transport Commission and Vice Chair of the Environmental Council of the State’s Compliance Committee. The New Jersey Conference of Mayors named Jackson the 2007 Cabinet Member of the Year.

A native of New Orleans, Jackson earned a master’s degree in chemical engineering from Princeton University. She is a summa cum laude graduate of Tulane University’s School of Chemical Engineering.

Jackson resides in East Windsor. She is married to Kenny Jackson and is the proud mother of two wonderful sons, Marcus and Brian.

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