CHARLESTON, S.C. - The Charleston Regional Business Journal has selected Martina Jackson, an employee of Naval Information Warfare Center (NIWC) Atlantic in Charleston, South Carolina, as a recipient of the 2019 Forty Under 40 award. Nominated by members of the local community, this elite group is composed of individuals under the age of 40 who excel in the professional arena and community involvement.
Jackson, a native of Monetta, South Carolina, began her career at NIWC Atlantic as a part of the student co-op program in the summer of 2000 and graduated from Clemson University in 2004. Today, she is the Command, Control, Communications, Computers and Intelligence (C4I) Foreign Military Sales (FMS) team lead for NIWC Atlantic supporting the FMS, Air Integration and United States Coast Guard division in the Fleet C4I and Readiness department.
“It is such an honor to even be recognized and nominated, let alone win,” said Jackson. “I’m very grateful and humbled, and this win has strengthened my belief to just keep being me, be determined, and run my race while appreciating and enjoying people and life.”
Jackson’s volunteer activities are numerous within NIWC Atlantic and the local community. She credits her parents with fostering her desire to make a difference.
“As a kid, I watched my mom and dad commit themselves to helping others and it was instilled in me then that giving back and serving others is one of the most treasured things one can do in life,” said Jackson.
A science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) advocate, Jackson has participated in several of NIWC Atlantic’s STEM outreach initiatives designed to engage middle and high school students. As a member of the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE), Charleston Professionals, Jackson worked with NIWC Atlantic and local industry to support professional development, youth education programs and scholarships for local high school students pursuing STEM.
Jackson performs a wide variety of community service events as a member of the Charleston Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. and the Charleston chapter of the National Pan-Hellenic Council. She also serves as treasurer for both organizations.
“This award certainly encourages me to keep encouraging and uplifting others, whether at work, in the community or in my social circles,” said Jackson.
NIWC Atlantic provides systems engineering and acquisition to deliver information warfare capabilities to the naval, joint and national warfighter through the acquisition, development, integration, production, test, deployment, and sustainment of interoperable C4ISR, cyber and information technology capabilities.