‘Above and beyond:’ Counseling alumna makes changing lives her own life’s purpose

After nearly losing her life, Liberty University alumna Kimberly Jackson (’11) is changing the lives of others through her behavioral health agency and international relief efforts, and by sharing her story to inspire others that God is always present during trials.

Jackson, who earned a master’s degree in marriage and family counseling through Liberty University Online Programs, is the founder and CEO of United Community Solutions (UCS), a behavioral health clinic in Chesapeake, Va. In addition to her work as CEO, she led a clean water project in Ghana earlier this year. In September 2024, her leadership at UCS led her to be appointed by Gov. Glenn Youngkin to the Virginia Board of Social Work.

The trials Jackson has faced in her own life have shaped her dedication to inspire others. In 2017, she almost died while giving birth to her son due to having preeclampsia, a dangerous pregnancy complication involving high blood pressure, that developed into HELLP syndrome. Despite these complications, her baby boy was born healthy at 32 weeks. Early last year, Jackson was diagnosed with Paget’s disease, a deadly condition that accounts for only 4 percent of breast cancers. Though she had it for two years and went undiagnosed, her biopsy results showed minimal progression.

“I had no choice but to really believe in who God truly was, because to have that type of test and know that I was dealing with this for two years, it was scary. God showed up in a way where it was unimaginable because it was only at stage zero,” she said. “It really showed me that my life is just not for me. It’s to impact others and show who (God) is through business, through my physical health, through mental health; He’s showing up in all these ways, and I continue to be a walking miracle.”

After undergoing surgery and radiation, Jackson was cleared from breast cancer in October 2024.

In 2018, Jackson founded UCS after having a new vision for the potential of behavioral health agencies to go “above and beyond” the minimum.

“It’s kind of hard to instill your vision into other people’s organizations; they have their own goals and aspirations,” she said. “So, I just decided that it was time that I could do it myself. I finally had the courage to believe in myself and just took a risk.”

Jackson said while other organizations focus on a goal for patients to reach “the bare minimum” and become stable, UCS inspires its patients to excel in all areas of life.

“(At UCS), we show individuals how to go above and beyond in their lives … not just to meet basic needs but how we can help (them) excel beyond the basics,” she said. “That can look like getting an actual career versus a regular job. I want them to see that they can go above and beyond: beyond a GED, beyond working at McDonald’s, beyond not having a job at all, beyond just barely living to eat basic meals. (We are) inspiring our individuals to do more with their life than be at just the basics.”

Influenced by her battle with breast cancer, Jackson partners with Chesapeake Regional Healthcare to regularly provide breast cancer screenings for her clients and staff.

In addition to her work with UCS, Jackson partakes in international relief efforts to help underprivileged communities. In January, she funded and led the Asuaba Water Project, an initiative that provided a water storage tank for the community in Asuaba, Ghana. Jackson said the community had a history of residents, especially children, who were getting sick from unsafe drinking water. She visited Asuaba in January to commission and pray over the project.

“We built a well to generate clean water, so it’s an unlimited supply for them,” she said. “It’s built on the middle school, but the entire village can go and use the water as they need to.”

Jackson said her education at Liberty inspired her to integrate faith into all aspects of her work. She grew up in Lynchburg and said she was always spending time on campus and watching the ways God was working through the students and professors.

“There’s a standard set by Liberty in general, and you can see that light through the individuals who attend Liberty University and its accountability there, like ‘This is the light that we shine.’ Even though my organization is not considered faith based, I feel like I can still shine and show that same light and accountability without it being named as a faith organization.”

As an online student, she witnessed how the Bible could be integrated into her studies and in all areas of her life.

“I was inspired by Liberty in general and throughout my coursework. There was always a reminder of everything that we do is related back to the Bible. Everything is related back to that principle,” she said. “It’s amazing how we don’t think about it, but there was Scripture for everything we learned about, everything was intertwined. I am able to have that same mindset as I’m leading and opening different programs and as I meet new people to really show that principle throughout everything. (Before Liberty), I was unaware of how the Bible can apply to (what I do), and Liberty really shows how it can.”

Though she completed her education through distance learning, Jackson said she still felt involved in the Liberty community and with all her peers and professors.

“Seeing the morale of the professors and being able to connect with the other students at the time, it was like we were all on the same path. I was able to have meaningful friendships … and I could go to the professors about anything and have prayer.”

While she continues to lead UCS, Jackson plans to share her story any way she can to inspire others and show God’s faithfulness in her life.

“My path in life is significant because no one else in the world can leave the same footprints I do. I’m not done. I’m still doing the work, and I’m going to continue to do the work.”