Darcel T. Jackson serves as the Manager of Patient and Family Centered Care at Children’s National Hospital in Washington, D.C., where she partners with patients, families, and staff to ensure their voices are integral to shaping the organization’s mission, values, and care delivery. In this role, she leads systemwide initiatives that embed collaboration, transparency, and empathy into everyday practice—transforming how healthcare engages, listens to, and learns from those it serves.

With more than 18 years of experience in healthcare transformation and family caregiving, Darcel blends professional expertise with deeply personal insight. She has led innovative programs such as Hair For You, the PFAC Collaborative, and the Youth Leadership Advisory Council—each designed to elevate inclusion, strengthen communication, and ensure care is responsive to the diverse needs of patients and families. Her leadership has influenced institutional culture, shaped organizational policy, and contributed to national conversations on advancing family partnership and human-centered care.

Her scholarly contributions include multiple peer-reviewed publications, such as:

• Hair For You: Personalized care for pediatric patients (American Nurse Journal, 2025);
• Hospital Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Efforts: Perspectives of Patient and Family Advisors (Pediatrics, 2024); and
• The role of competency-based medical education in addressing health inequities and cultivating inclusive learning environments (Current Problems in Pediatric and Adolescent Health Care, 2024).

Darcel’s national engagement extends to co-authoring and co-presenting at the Pediatric Academic Societies (PAS) Meetings, including:

• Integrating Behavioral Health in Primary Care for Children with Medical Complexity Across the Life Course (2025, Toronto, Canada);
• APA Patient and Family Centered Care and Qualitative Research Combined SIG Session (2023, Washington, DC); and
• Improving Family Engagement and Resident Education during Patient-Family Centered Rounds: A Resident-Led QI Initiative (2019, Baltimore, MD).

Beyond her role at Children’s National, Darcel serves on the Board of Directors for the Center for Innovation & Value Research and as a Family Advisor for Planetree’s Global Patient and Family Partnership Council. She has been a keynote speaker, national presenter, and published author, sharing her lived experience and professional expertise to advance family-centered care across healthcare systems. Her perspective was also featured in the National Academy of Medicine’s Improving Care for High-Need Patients: Patient and Caregiver Testimonial Series (2018), with her story Whole-Person Approach to Care Provides Family a Roadmap to Peace of Mind.

Darcel’s unwavering commitment to dignity and shared decision-making is rooted in the journey she shared with her late daughter, Anniyah, who lived with complex medical needs. Anniyah’s life and legacy continue to guide Darcel’s passion for creating a healthcare system where every voice matters and every family feels seen, heard, and valued. Through her leadership, Darcel continues to inspire a culture of compassion and co-creation that is transforming how healthcare sees, hears, and partners with families.