Robert H. Jackson Center President Kristan McMahon shares her vision for the center and answers questions regarding her qualifications from Greg Peterson, Jackson Center co-founder, who interviewed her Tuesday at the Turner Community Center. P-J photo by Eric Zavinski

CHAUTAUQUA — Kristan McMahon started her new job as president of the Robert H. Jackson Center on Monday, and she has international aspirations for the Jamestown nonprofit.

Jackson Center co-founder Greg Peterson interviewed the newcomer Tuesday at the Turner Community Center to get an understanding of McMahon’s goals, qualifications and passion for legal history.

“She has a track record of participating in leading organizations,” said Chautauqua Institution President Michael Hill, who introduced McMahon.

“To run institutions here, you have to care deeply.”

Most recently, McMahon has served as the principal of Vetted Solutions, a firm based in Washington, D.C., that specializes in recruiting and consulting for nonprofits. Combined with years of legal experience as an attorney for Verizon and Howrey LLP, McMahon’s resume matched what Jackson Center staff and board members were looking for.

Peterson dove deeper, asking the St. Bonaventure University alumna where her interests in law and nonprofits began.

Springing from an undergraduate education in journalism, McMahon then earned a communications law certificate from the Catholic University of America, Columbus School of Law in Washington, D.C.

When asked what she would like to accomplish at the Jackson Center within the next five years, McMahon said she thinks the Jackson Center can continue to honor the Jackson Center legacy by grounding the Center “in a way that it needs to be grounded” and “giving it wings.”

“I have a vision that we will be a voice in the local area, at the state level, at the national level and the international level,” McMahon said.

Year 2021 will mark the 20th anniversary of the Jackson Center and the 80th anniversary of Robert H. Jackson being named to the U.S. Supreme Court.

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