A native New Englander, then Second Lieutenant Ray entered the Marine Corps from Boston University’s NROTC program in 1994. She completed The Basic School and Basic Communication Officers’ Course in 1995, then reported to Marine Wing Communications Squadron-28 (MWCS-28) in Cherry Point, North Carolina, as a Communications Officer. While at MWCS-28, Lieutenant Ray served as Wire and Radio Platoon Commander, Detachment Operations and Executive Officer, and deployed as an embassy liaison officer in Lima, Peru.
Lieutenant Ray joined Marine Combat Training Battalion (MCT), School of Infantry‐East (SOI-East) in 1997 as a company executive officer to assist in female enlisted integration efforts. In 1998, then Captain Jackson transitioned to SOI’s Headquarters and Service Battalion to serve as Marines Awaiting Training and Headquarters and Service Company Commanders, and finally as Headquarters and Service Battalion executive officer. In July of 1999, she transferred to the Marine Corps Reserve. In August 2003, Captain Jackson became the Peacetime/Wartime Support Team Officer‐in‐Charge for India Company, 3d Battalion, 23d Marines, in Little Rock, Arkansas.
Major Jackson joined the Marine Corps History Division in 2006 as the senior editor and field historian, where she revitalized the Division’s historical publication, Fortitudine, and covered Theater Security Cooperation Exercises Cobra Gold in Thailand and African Lion in Morocco. At the SCETC Civil‐Military Operations Branch in 2008, she assisted in the development of the first USMC Civil Affairs MOS School. In 2009, Major Jackson deployed to Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) in support of Marine Expeditionary Brigade‐Afghanistan.
LtCol Jackson joined II Marine Expeditionary Force (II MEF) as the CMO Planner in 2011 and the G‐6 as the Reserve Operations Officer in 2013. Subsequently, she served as the Marine Forces Reserve Force Headquarters Group (FHG) G‐6. From Dec 2013 to May 2016, LtCol Jackson was the Commanding Officer of Marine Wing Communications Squadron‐48 (MWCS‐48). In May 2015, she transferred to the 8th Marine Corps Recruiting District as a Recruiting Support Officer in Dallas, Texas.
Between December 2016 and 2018, Colonel (Col) Jackson assumed command of the 4th Civil Affairs Group (4th CAG) in Hialeah, FL, before taking on the role of Deputy Division Head at DC I, where she served until October 2020. Col Jackson subsequently served as the Vice Chief of Staff for MARFORRES until March 2022.
After her promotion to Brigadier General (BGen) in 2022, BGen Jackson assumed the role of Reserve Deputy Commanding General for II MEF until January 2023. Following this assignment, BGen Jackson deployed to the Horn of Africa as the Deputy Commanding General for CJTF-HOA, where she served until June 2023. In June 2023, BGen Jackson assumed command of the 4th Marine Logistics Group.
BGen Jackson holds a Master’s in Strategic Studies from the US Army War College (distinguished graduate), a Master of Arts in Liberal Studies/Conflict Management and Resolution from UNC-Wilmington, and a Bachelor’s in History from Boston University.