Jackie Gingrich Cushman

Known for her ability to synthesize major news events and ordinary life happenings into a unique perspective that rings with authenticity, Jackie Gingrich Cushman connects with her readers’ hearts and minds. Audiences of community leaders, educators, entrepreneurs and executives are captured by her fresh ideas, friendly style and quick wit.

Having campaigned twice and lost before her father, Newt Gingrich, won a congressional race, Cushman understands and can convey the importance of dreaming big and working hard through failure. As founder of the Learning Makes a Difference Foundation, which tests innovative learning programs to help struggling students learn they can learn, she knows the importance of learning every day. By helping lead Genesis: A New Life, a homeless shelter for newborn babies and their families, in a $5 million capital campaign, she has learned the value of giving to others.

Cushman is passionate about improving the world her two children will inherit and endeavors to inspire others to learn, love and live their lives successfully.

As a nationally syndicated columnist for Creators Syndicate, Jackie writes with her heart and mind. Noted by The Washington Times for her “considerable talent” in writing, Jackie’s outlook and opinions are highly entertaining, inspirational and thought-provoking.

Jackie’s book 5 Principles for a Successful Life: From Our Family to Yours (Crown Forum) was co-authored with her father. Their book focuses on the principles that Jackie follows in her daily life: Dream Big, Work Hard, Learn Every Day, Enjoy Life and Be True to Yourself. In March 2010, Jackie was nominated for a Georgia Writer's Association (GWA) Georgia Author of the Year Award.

Her upcoming book, The Essential American: 25 Documents and Speeches that Every American Should Read (Regnery), is to be released in November 2010.

Jackie’s work has been cited on the Today show and in New York Magazine, USA Today, and The Washington Times. She has appeared on ABC’s Good Morning America CNN’s Campbell Brown, The 700 Club, Fox News Channel’s Fox and Friends, The O’Reilly Factor, The Sean Hannity Show, The Strategy Room, On the Record With Greta van Susteren, Geraldo at Large, The Huckabee Show and Squeeze Play on Canada’s Business News Network.

Cushman's nonprofit activities included serving on The Georgia Advisory Council for the Trust for Public Land. She currently serves on the Advisory board of Genesis: A New Life. She is founder and chairman of the board of the Learning Makes a Difference Foundation. Cushman also works with American Solutions PAC, a company dedicated to issues in American politics.

Jackie lives in Atlanta with her husband, Jimmy Cushman Jr., and their children.

Jackie graduated cum laude from Presbyterian College in Clinton, S.C. She received her MBA from Georgia State University in Atlanta and holds the Chartered Financial Analyst designation.