With more than a decade of experience advocating for low- income, first-generation students and students of color, Kimberly Jones has established herself as a credible voice within policy circles in Washington, DC. Currently, Kimberly serves as the Executive Vice President at the Council for Opportunity in Education (“COE”). In this role, she oversees the day-to-day operations of the Council, including representation of students served by the Federal TRIO Programs (“TRIO”) before the U.S. Congress, U.S. Department of Education, and all government agencies; oversight of the program and professional development offerings for college access and success professionals; the organization’s fiscal policies and information technology; and the development and implementation of all print and digital communications of COE.
Prior to joining COE, Kimberly was an Associate in the Communications Practice Group at the law firm of Dow Lohnes, PLLC (now Cooley LLP), where she advised clients on a variety of broadcast and media law issues. As a result of her expertise in the areas of higher education, congressional relations, and grassroots mobilization, Kimberly has been featured in publications such as the Chronicle of Higher Education, Inside Higher Ed, and Diverse Issues in Higher Education and has delivered remarks at convenings by Comcast, NAACP, LULAC, and other notable organizations. She also serves as an inaugural Advisory Committee member for the Association of Young Americans, which advocates for Americans aged 18 to 35.
Kimberly has served in leadership roles within various professional and civic organizations, including the Committee for Education Funding, of which she served as President; the National Bar Association, for which she chaired the Legislation Standing Committee; the Junior League of Washington, for which she was named Outstanding New Member in 2018; Women in Government Relations; and the Washington Government Relations Group.
Kimberly is a 2000 graduate of Yale University and a 2004 graduate of the Georgetown University Law Center. In 1999, she was named a Harry S. Truman Scholar. In 2016, Kimberly was named one of the “40 Under 40 Nation’s Best Advocates” by the National Bar Association and also received the organization’s Excellence in Activism Award. In 2018, she was selected for the Diversity Executive Leadership Program sponsored by ASAE, the American Society of Association Executives.