KARMEN A. JONES is a top communications strategist with experience working in Congress and the Executive Branch of our government. She was born in Memphis, Tennessee, and raised in Marion, Arkansas. At the University of Tennessee, Karmen made history in 2020 by becoming the first Black woman elected as SGA Student Body President. During her tenure, she spearheaded the development of a campus anti-discrimination policy—which was passed by the Tennessee State Legislature—and provided essential COVID-19 support to the student body. Karmen also became a proud member of the Zeta Delta Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Incorporated.
After graduation, Jones relocated to Jackson, Mississippi, to reconnect with her maternal family roots. She served as a judicial extern under the Hon. Judge Latrice A. Westbrooks of the Mississippi Court of Appeals and subsequently clerked at the Hall Law Group. Her professional journey also included various communications roles supporting Black women candidates in judicial races across the Southeast. In a unique endeavor, Karmen served as a Georgetown University WILL Empower Apprentice at the AFL-CIO Branch of Nashville and Middle Tennessee. Her responsibilities included managing the union’s political endorsement process, supporting the local teachers’ union as they advocated for improved wages and inclusive curricula, and providing aid to rural Tennessee residents affected by natural disasters.
Jones continued her academic pursuits at the Fels Institute of Government, University of Pennsylvania, graduating with a Master of Public Administration in the summer of 2023. Her areas of study included public communications at Wharton Business School, reparation frameworks for all levels of government, public data collection, and a financial analysis of how the City of Jackson manages its water quality. Her capstone project, "The State of Black Women & Our Vote,” focused on enhancing the Mississippi Black Women’s Roundtable's survey and data collection methods to identify areas for advocacy. As the President of Women of Fels, she facilitated engagement between students and mayoral candidates, organized campus-wide Black History Month events, and collaborated with Planned Parenthood Philadelphia to offer care baskets for patients.
Karmen Jones served as a Communications Staffer in the Office of Congressman Dwight Evans (PA-03), FEMA, and the Office of Congresswoman Jennifer McClellan (VA-04). She aims to continue her advocacy for equity and social justice through strategic communications, public policy, and law.