Our Founders

Shared Vision: Infuse Civics into the Heart of Corporate Culture

In 2015, Jackie and Deirdre met and bonded over Texas politics and shrimp po-boys while working at a global semiconductor company. The two had important jobs leading communications, marketing, and community relations; however, they had an even bigger self-imposed responsibility: to apply civic values, such as freedom, fairness, and representation, to every aspect of the business.

This innovative work earned them praise, press, and awards, but more importantly, it taught them firsthand the positive outcomes of embracing and uniting all stakeholders, regardless of personal belief or political affiliation. Their work measurably led to happier, more loyal, and more productive employees and an improved brand reputation in their communities and industry.

But Jackie and Deirdre wanted to do even more. That’s why they founded IGC Institute. For them, doing good is not just a profession, but a way of life. Taking the lessons learned from nearly a decade of of leading corporate civic engagement efforts in-house, Jackie and Deirdre have spent the last several years helping major brands do the same. In 2024, they decided to expand efforts to more businesses through this nonprofit.

Deirdre now manages the organization as the executive director, and Jackie serves on our Civic Cabinet advisory board.