Dr. Jacqueline O. McKnight was appointed as the Deputy Director of Child and Family Services for Mecklenburg County, DSS, in the fall of 2017. In 2021, her role expanded to Deputy Director of the DSS Department, which she served until the fall of 2023. In these roles, she was responsible for supporting the Director of DSS in overseeing and managing all social service programs.
⦁ Dr. McKnight brings over three decades of experience overseeing administrative operations and developing programs that positively impact participants’ lives. Prior to accepting this role, Dr. McKnight was the Executive Deputy Commissioner of the New York City Administration for Children’s Services. Dr. McKnight has provided oversight to over 4,000 staff members and a diverse network of contracted providers. She has also been responsible for overseeing, integrating, and coordinating child welfare programs, both public and private, toward better outcomes for children and families.
⦁ Dr. McKnight has a wealth of experience, including work focused on leadership development, prevention service implementation, interagency collaborations, substance abuse, and interpersonal violence among communities of color, as well as the implications for female consumers of service. Dr. McKnight received a Bachelor’s in Social Work from York College CUNY, a Master’s in Social Work from Columbia University School of Social Work, and a Doctorate of Philosophy from Fordham University Graduate School of Social Services. She is the recipient of the Children FIRST Doctoral Fellowship, 2004 and 2005, and a 2016 NASW-NYC Top Leader Award Recipient.
⦁ Dr. McKnight is also certified by the Yale School of Management Executive Education -Women’s Leadership Program. Dr. McKnight currently serves as a Graduate Adjunct Professor at UNC at Charlotte -School for Social Work and a former adjunct professor at Fordham University Graduate School of Social Services and Casey Family Programs Foundation’s Leadership Academy. She also serves on the Board of Directors for Pat’s Place Child Advocacy Center, Healthy Blue- Blue Cross Blue Shield’s – Foster Care Advisory Group. She was formerly a Board member for Mecklenburg County’s Race Matter for Juvenile Justice.
