Douglas Jackson lives and writes in Roanoke, Virginia. For the past twelve years at the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD), he’s provided strategic support to communities as they create new possibilities around unique cultural, outdoor, and arts assets. He is the Arts and Culture Coordinator in the City of Roanoke. Douglas served as an officer in the US Navy and holds degrees in economics (Duke); urban and regional planning (UC Irvine); and creative writing (Hollins). A book lover, he’s currently leading a community effort to explore equity and engagement at the intersection of books and place through BOOK CITY * Roanoke—a blog, podcast, convening point, and strategic community partner.