Lonni Jackson grew up near Seattle, and is a diehard (and long-suffering) Seahawks fan. Lonni became passionate about issues at the intersection of justice and the church in the late 1980s when he lived in South Africa during apartheid. He has continued to support the local church and pursue justice throughout his professional life. He currently works at Five Talents, a Christian NGO that partners with the local church in Africa to help women and men find sustainable paths out of extreme poverty through entrepreneurship. Lonni met Cheryl shortly after he arrived in Washington, DC in 1989. They have been married since 1991 and have three adult children: Charlie, Nathan, and Grace. They joined Emmanuel in the fall of 2021. Lonni enjoys playing board games, hiking with the family dogs, and discussing good literature and movies. Lonni is happiest when what he is doing is in the context of his family.