Jackie Cowell (click for Bio)

Executive Director

Jackie Cowell is Executive Director of Early Learning NH, a statewide, nonprofit committed to “ensuring that all New Hampshire children have the opportunity to reach their full potential.”

She also serves as Executive Director for the NH Coalition of Business and Education, a non-partisan organization composed of business, education, philanthropic and public policy leaders.

After graduating from the University of Virginia, Jackie taught high school math in the Peace Corps in Mali. She then worked for five years for Save the Children in Sudan. Moving to New Hampshire in 1990, Jackie managed two early childhood education programs, White Birch Center in Henniker and the Seacoast Community School in Portsmouth. Previously, she has served as adjunct faculty at the NH Technical Institute, Public Policy Chair of NHAEYC and the Chair of the NH Child Care Advisory Council.  Under her leadership, Early Learning NH received the prestigious Mary Stuart Gile Award in recognition for its “commitment to the development of the next generation of early childhood professionals.” Jackie is a recipient of the Exemplary Leadership and Community Partnership Award from the NH Division for Children, Youth and Families and in 2024, was named one of Business NH Magazine's 40 Influential Leaders in New Hampshire.

She lives in Newbury with her husband, Dague, and their big bernese mountain dog, Sasha. Jackie and Dague are both so proud of their son, daughter and son-in-law, who each served in the Peace Corps and are all doing great things in the world today