Jakia joined the BRYC team in August 2022. As college counseling lead, she supports Senior Fellows in the college application and financial aid processes.

Jakia is a native of Houma, La. She attended the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in strategic communications with a concentration in public relations. During her college years, Jakia was highly engaged with campus activities, which helped to develop her passion for higher education. After graduating, she worked for the Office of Student Engagement at South Community College, providing student services to incoming and current students on two of the college’s campuses. In fall 2024, she will join the MBA program and University of Louisiana at Lafayette. Jakia is an avid reader (she has an Instagram page dedicated to her love of books), and her dream is to own a coffee and book shop.