This Maryite Dresses Others for Success!

Imagine for a moment that you have an important interview coming up for a job that you really desire. Now picture opening your closet, only to find that there’s nothing there. No suits, no blouses; not even a decent pair of dress shoes.

For many low-income women throughout the United States, that scenario is not just a bad dream, but a reality. These women who have all the tools to get the job—except the interview suit.

But, thanks to the efforts of people like SMAs very own Jackie Thornton Dawson, the future is a lot brighter for women in the New Orleans area and beyond who are in need of the perfect business suit to ace that special interview.

A 1988 graduate of St. Mary’s Academy, Thornton is the Office Administrator for Dress For Success New Orleans; a non-profit organization dedicated to helping low-income women confidently enter the workforce by providing them with a business suit for their interview.

“With Dress for Success, there’s a chance for women to not only look their best, but to feel their best,” says Thornton, who believes that getting a good job requires more than just wearing the right clothes. “It’s about having a positive attitude and the confidence to succeed,” she adds.

A graduate of the University of Phoenix and a certified court reporter, Thornton earned a bachelor’s degree in Business Management and a Master’s degree in Business Administration. Additionally, this busy Maryite is also the owner of J&J Enterprises, a trucking company and a member of the Professional Women’s Group, Women of Light and Big Brothers and Big Sisters of Greater New Orleans. She is married and the mother of two sons.