Director Bobby Jackson Reflects on 47 Years of Service in Hennepin County
Director Bobby Jackson reflects on a 47-year career with Hennepin County, highlighting leadership rooted in service, equity and a commitment to strengthening operations and community wellbeing.
For Director Bobby Jackson, leadership has always been about service, not status.
His journey with Hennepin County began nearly five decades ago in a place few would associate with executive leadership: a parking booth at the Government Center. A college student at the time, Jackson worked there to help pay his tuition after his father made it clear that higher education required both discipline and responsibility. “You have to figure out how to pay for school,” his father told him. That early lesson in accountability became the foundation of a 47-year career in public service.
One day, a Human Services leader noticed Jackson’s consistency and work ethic, offering him an opportunity to move into a new role. That chance set him on the path toward Human Services and eventually executive leadership. Few know that Jackson’s background is pastoral, he pastored a church for 20 years while building his career in county government. For him, ministry and public service are deeply connected, both rooted in compassion and belief in the dignity of every person.
Most of his career has been in Human Services, where he witnessed dramatic shifts in how the county approaches equity and community wellbeing. Today, as Director of Internal Services, he oversees operations that support multiple service areas, from project management to training and systems support, ensuring frontline staff can effectively serve residents. Jackson sums it up simply: operations are about “making things better.”
In 2025, tight budgets and economic pressures tested that mission. Resources were reduced, but resident needs remained urgent. Jackson is proud that his team maintained high-quality services while improving efficiency. “Even with cuts, we stayed on course,” he says. “We found ways to help staff and departments continue providing excellent service.”
Early in his career, Jackson often found himself the only person of color in leadership spaces. “For 20 years, I was the only leader of color in my area,” he recalls. That isolation came with pressure, but he drew strength from lessons his father passed down: sometimes you must work twice as hard to be recognized as equal.
Today, the landscape is changing. Hennepin County has formally recognized racism as a public health crisis and requires leaders to use the Racial and Health Equity Tool before implementing new policies. Jackson describes the tool as “intentional,” a method to analyze data, listen to residents, and examine how race, gender, and other factors influence outcomes. “Even if you take race out of it, it’s still the right thing to do,” he says.
Representation remains critical. Jackson recalls a moment at a restaurant when a county employee approached him: “Seeing you in leadership makes me believe it’s possible.” Visibility, he knows, expands the sense of what’s achievable for others.
Jackson’s commitment to community extends beyond county offices. A North Minneapolis native, he grew up during the civil unrest of the 1960s along Plymouth Avenue, watching his father protest injustice while helping rebuild the neighborhood. That balance, advocacy paired with responsibility, shaped Jackson’s approach to service. For over 20 years, he has volunteered and mentored youth in Brooklyn Park, many of whom are the first in their families to consider college. He wears university apparel to spark conversations about higher education. “Kids are sponges,” he says. “If they don’t see it, they don’t always believe it’s possible.”
At home, Jackson shares the same principles with his 31-year-old son, now a supervisor himself: treat employees with dignity, build relationships, and channel frustration constructively. “If you respect people, they respond in kind,” he says.
As Hennepin County moves into 2026, Jackson remains focused on affordability, economic stability, and closing persistent racial disparities. He emphasizes equity over equality, ensuring residents have what they need to thrive, not just the same starting line.
After 47 years of service, Jackson hopes his legacy is clear: he helped make things better and cleared a path for other leaders of color. For Black History Month and beyond, his story is a testament to perseverance, representation, and leadership rooted in service.
For more information, visit www.hennepin.us/en/residents/human-services/human-services-online.