Danetta Jackson serves as the Statewide Supplier Diversity Program Manager within the California Department of General Services (DGS). This is a new executive level position established in 2021committed to implementing policy strategies aimed at improving equity and achieving greater diversity in the state’s supplier base. A large part of Danetta’s role is to collaborate with DGS programs as well as external state departments and vendor stakeholders to assist the state with increasing contracting opportunities for historically underutilized diverse small businesses in California.
Danetta has more than 30 years of service to the State of California. In her previous role she served as the State’s Business Outreach Program Manager for nearly 11 years and prior to that as a Small Business Advocate. In her role, Danetta was responsible for ensuring small businesses and disabled veteran business enterprises understood and were able to navigate the state’s complex procurement system to win contracts. In addition, Danetta oversaw outreach engagement strategies, strategic partnerships, communications, contracting goal compliance, advocacy program as well as the DGS Small Business Advisory Council.
Danetta’s passion and commitment to breaking down barriers in state contracting for California’s diverse small business sector is incomparable. She has formed strategic collaborations with diverse business organizations throughout the state at the private, local, state, and federal levels. Additionally, Danetta has helped other government entities develop policies to improve their respective supplier diversity programs. In 2021, Danetta was influential in the University of California’s (UC) adoption of their 25 percent diverse business goal and development of a Small Business First Policy, and Certification Reciprocity partnership with DGS.
Danetta serves on various collaborative workgroups, such as the UC Small and Diverse Business Advisory Council, Governor’s Minority Small Business Procurement Task Force, California Statewide Coalition on Diversity Initiatives, California’s Health in All Policies Task Force and the Entrepreneurship Economic Mobility Task within the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development, California Office of the Small Business Advocate. Danetta is a graduate of CSU, Sacramento, in addition to having completed their Management and Executive Leadership Programs.
