Jordan Mickens

Senior director of programs

Jordan Mickens (he/him) works at the intersection of community, government, and philanthropy to organize people and capital toward sustainable solutions that improve economic outcomes for those most impacted by systemic disinvestment and exclusionary policy.

Throughout his career, across state and local levels, Jordan has designed and led public-private partnerships that move innovative, community-centered initiatives into durable public systems.

At The Oakland Fund, Jordan serves as Senior Director of Programs, leading the development and execution of high-impact, community-based initiatives that turn emerging opportunities into actionable solutions for Oakland. In dialogue with community stakeholders, Jordan shapes new program concepts, builds strategic partnerships, and supports initiatives from early-stage design through implementation and measurable outcomes.

Prior to The Oakland Fund, Jordan led Corps to Career (C2C), a statewide workforce-development initiative of California Volunteers, Office of the Governor, that supported California youth in finding work after completing a term with the California Service Corps. Jordan designed and executed C2C’s long-term sustainability plan, moving the initiative from a regional pilot to statewide implementation and helping secure ongoing state funding to support 10,000 young people across California each year.

Jordan began his career as a public school teacher and basketball coach in Oakland, at Castlemont High School and Life Academy, before transitioning to edTech, where he worked with public school districts, including OUSD, to increase access to technology. During the pandemic, Jordan joined the Oakland Mayor’s Office as a LEE Public Policy Fellow and Program Manager of the #OaklandUndivided campaign, leading efforts to close the digital divide for students. He has also worked with cities across the U.S. to reduce administrative burdens in accessing safety-net services and improve housing assistance programs for residents from low-income backgrounds.

Jordan holds a B.A. in Psychology and Economics from Williams College and a Masters in Public Affairs from the School of Public and International Affairs at Princeton University. He was also a Chancellor’s Fellow at UC Berkeley, where his research investigated misperceptions of poverty and inequality and barriers to support for equity-enhancing policies. He lives in Berkeley with his wife, child, and dog, and can often be found riding AC Transit and BART across the Bay Area with his daughter, without a destination.