Jasmine Harris, Recognized By Influential Women, Advances Family Advocacy With Save The Children Action Network
Iowa, Louisiana – Jasmine Harris is a Senior Associate for Family Engagement with Save the Children Action Network (SCAN), the advocacy arm of Save the Children, where she works to elevate parent voices and strengthen advocacy efforts surrounding early childhood education. Serving communities across key parishes in Louisiana, including Jefferson Davis, Evangeline, and St. Landry, Jasmine partners with Head Start programs, rural communities, and local leaders to help parents understand their role as advocates and confidently engage with policymakers on issues affecting children and families.
Through her work, Jasmine focuses on building trust, expanding civic participation, and creating opportunities for parents and caregivers to share their lived experiences in ways that influence education policy. Her efforts are centered on ensuring families feel empowered to advocate for the resources, programs, and support systems children need to thrive.
Jasmine brings more than a decade of experience in family engagement, Head Start programming, and community-based education. Her career reflects a deep commitment to service, equity, and community resilience, supported by a Master of Arts in Adult Learning & Development and Continuing Education Administration from Northwestern State University. Throughout her professional journey, she has worked across direct service, higher education, disaster recovery coordination, and parent engagement initiatives, each experience strengthening her passion for helping communities create meaningful change.
Jasmine’s advocacy is rooted in lived experience, service, and a belief that parents and caregivers are among the most powerful voices in shaping children’s future. Throughout her career, she has supported early learning initiatives, strengthened grassroots organizing efforts, and helped launch programs designed to expand access to educational resources. Through her leadership, Jasmine continues to inspire families—particularly those in underserved and rural communities—to recognize their influence, engage with confidence, and participate in decisions that impact future generations.
Jasmine attributes her success to the leadership and vision of the Board of Directors and Executive teams of Save the Children and Save the Children Action Network (SCAN), as well as the strength of their divisions and programs, especially Family Engagement. She believes the training, strategic guidance, and investment in this work have provided her with the tools needed to effectively support and elevate parents and caregivers every day.
A key part of Jasmine’s impact comes from the strong and collaborative partnership with Head Start through the Louisiana U.S. Programs. She values the openness, trust, and consistent access to centers and families that make this work possible. Through advocacy trainings and initiatives such as SCAN’s Have a Heart campaign, Jasmine helps create opportunities for parents and caregivers to step into leadership, use their voices, and directly engage with policymakers on issues that matter most to their children.
Jasmine also recognizes that her success is deeply connected to her family. Their love, support, and daily encouragement continue to inspire her commitment to advocacy and remind her why supporting children and families is such meaningful work.
The best career advice Jasmine has received is to find her passion—work that feels so aligned with her purpose that it does not feel like “work” every day. While this advice may sound simple, Jasmine believes discovering passion requires intentional reflection, self-awareness, and a willingness to pursue work that creates genuine impact.
For Jasmine, passion exists at the intersection of service, advocacy, and community. She finds purpose in moments when she sits with parents and caregivers, helping them understand that their voices matter. She sees the power of advocacy when someone moves from uncertainty to confidence and shares their story directly with a policymaker.
Those moments fuel Jasmine, even during challenging days. However, she believes passion alone is not enough. Meaningful work also requires discipline, a growth mindset, preparation, and consistency. Jasmine credits the training, leadership development, and opportunities to learn from others within organizations such as Save the Children Action Network and Save the Children for helping her continue showing up fully in her role.
Jasmine has also learned that passion grows through relationships and partnerships. Working alongside programs like Head Start has reinforced her belief that when people are connected to a mission larger than themselves—and surrounded by others who share that commitment—the work becomes even more fulfilling. It becomes more than a career; it becomes a contribution to something that creates lasting change.
Her advice to others is clear: do not only look for work that feels easy—look for work that feels meaningful. Jasmine encourages individuals to pay attention to what continues calling them forward, what challenges them to grow, and where they can see the impact of their efforts in the lives of others. She believes that is where true passion exists.
For young women considering a career in advocacy and family engagement, Jasmine’s greatest advice is to determine their “why.” She encourages women to understand what motivates them, what keeps them grounded, and what impact they hope to make. While this field can be challenging and requires dedication, Jasmine believes having a clear sense of purpose provides the foundation needed to remain committed.
In family engagement and advocacy, Jasmine understands that the work is never just about one person. It is about identifying the next parent advocate, helping families confidently communicate with lawmakers, and supporting communities as they address critical issues such as early childhood education funding, food security, and children’s safety.
Jasmine believes this field is essential because it helps communities navigate systems and encourages accountability among elected officials. Advocacy requires courage, patience, and persistence, especially when progress feels slow. However, she believes that when individuals are connected to their purpose, their work becomes meaningful and impactful.
One of the greatest challenges Jasmine sees in her field is shifting the narrative so children are no longer viewed through a political lens. She believes supporting children—ensuring they are safe, healthy, fed, and have access to quality early learning opportunities—should be a shared priority regardless of political affiliation.
However, she recognizes that discussions surrounding policies and funding often become polarized. Jasmine has witnessed how conversations about programs such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and early childhood education initiatives, including the Childcare Modernization Act, can become focused on budgets and political debates rather than the central question: how will these decisions impact children and families over time?
For Jasmine, reconnecting policymakers with the human impact behind these decisions remains a critical part of her advocacy work. Issues such as food insecurity and access to early learning opportunities are not simply statistics—they are lived experiences that affect children, parents, and entire households.
She believes one of the most important responsibilities in advocacy is bridging the gap between policy conversations and the realities families face every day. While data and research are important, Jasmine believes personal stories create understanding and connection. When parents share their experiences directly with policymakers, they bring humanity into conversations that can otherwise feel distant.
Although challenges exist, Jasmine views them as motivation to continue building trust, creating spaces for families to be heard, and ensuring parent voices are not only included but centered in important discussions.
The value that guides Jasmine most deeply in both her professional and personal life is integrity. She believes integrity is the foundation for how she leads, serves, and builds trust with others. In a field centered around people and relationships, Jasmine believes authenticity and honesty are essential.
For Jasmine, leading with integrity means being transparent, clear, and intentional in every interaction. When working with parents and caregivers, she ensures they understand the process, know what to expect, and recognize that there are no hidden agendas. She also emphasizes that participation comes at no cost, thanks to the generosity of supporters of organizations like Save the Children Action Network, allowing families to focus on what matters most: using their voices to advocate for their children.
At the heart of Jasmine’s work is a commitment to empowering families. She believes parents and caregivers must understand that their voices are not only valuable but necessary. Creating that empowerment requires trust, and Jasmine believes it is built through consistency, honesty, and genuine care.
Jasmine also places strong importance on emotional intelligence. She believes self-awareness, active listening, and intentional communication are essential skills when working with communities. Every conversation is an opportunity to build connection, and every interaction is a chance to help someone feel seen and heard.
Through her leadership, advocacy, and dedication to family engagement, Jasmine Harris continues to create a meaningful impact across Louisiana communities. By combining integrity, empathy, and purpose-driven service, she remains committed to strengthening families, amplifying parents’ voices, and ensuring that children have the opportunities and resources they need to succeed.
Learn More about Jasmine Harris:
Through her Influential Women profile, https://influentialwomen.com/connect/jasmine-harris-1 or through her profile on Save the Children Action Network, https://savethechildrenactionnetwork.org/regions/louisiana/
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