Moderator: Laurilie Jackson
Associate Professor of Media Production @ College of the Desert
Laurilie Jackson is an accomplished media professional and educator with extensive experience in broadcast journalism and higher education. She is an associate professor at College of the Desert, a guest lecturer at California State University, San Bernardino, and a fill-in anchor and reporter at KESQ News Channel 3.
Dedicated to preparing the next generation of media professionals, Laurilie combines academic instruction with hands-on, real-world training. She leads the Media Department at College of the Desert, overseeing programs in film, television, journalism, and mass communication. She also advises the nationally recognized COD Roadrunner Radio and the award-winning student newspaper, The Chaparral.
Laurilie holds degrees in sociology and communication, as well as a master’s degree in broadcast journalism. Her early career included internships at KNBC Los Angeles, CNN Hollywood, Larry King Live, and Entertainment Tonight. Before relocating to Palm Springs, she worked as a production assistant at Universal Studios Florida, a weekend reporter for WAVY News in Virginia, and a national newscast anchor for the Family Network.
A 2025 Coachella Valley Media Hall of Fame inductee, Laurilie moved from Vancouver, Canada, to the Coachella Valley in 1997, where she and her husband, Randall, raised their three daughters.