Michele Jackson
Founder and Board Chair
Michele is a founding partner of HARDEN JACKSON, LLC where she concentrates her legal practice in Assisted Reproduction and Adoption Law. Ms. Jackson is well regarded for her work in assisted reproduction, international adoptions, and orphan care.
Ms. Jackson is the founder and Board Chair of Global Orphan Foundation. Global Orphan Foundation (GOF) works to improve the lives of orphans in Nicaragua, Haiti and Democratic Republic of Congo. Ms. Jackson lead the way for GOF to open a village for orphans in DRCongo in April 2019 which includes foster family homes, sustainable farming, farm training center, medical center, playgrounds, offices and community center.
Ms. Jackson has been a speaker on Assisted Reproduction Law and international adoption for attorneys, law students and professionals through her teaching at American Bar Association, Indiana University School of Law, National Business Institute, Indiana State Bar Association, Indiana Continuing Legal Education Foundation, National Counsel for Adoption, and the Indianapolis Bar Association. She has been an adjunct professor 2005-2010 at Indiana University School of law and a guest speaker at various universities including Indiana University School of Law, University of Indianapolis, IUPUI, and Anderson University.
Ms. Jackson earned her Juris Doctor from the Indiana University School of Law in 2000. During law school, Ms. Jackson earned the distinctions of President of the International Law Society and International Human Rights Law Program. She completed her undergraduate degree with honors from Anderson University in 1997, where she double majored in Political Science and History. Ms. Jackson has received several honors including Super Lawyer 2015, 2016, 2017,2018; Rising Star from Super Lawyers (2010-2014); Congressional Angels in Adoption Award 2012; Indianapolis Business Journal Forty Under 40 Distinction; Indiana’s Best and Brightest in 2013 and 2014 and Indianapolis Star Woman to Know 2013.
In 2014, she received the Young Entrepreneur Award at the Indianapolis 9th annual Spirit Awards Gala. Ms. Jackson is also a National Board Member for Nightlight Christian Adoptions based in California which provides domestic, foster, international and embryo adoption services. She is also a Trustee board member for Anderson University and on the Trustee Board Executive Committee. Ms. Jackson was appointed to the 2014-2015 Indiana Governor’s Adoption Committee, which focused on improving adoption programs for the State of Indiana. Ms. Jackson was one of only 8 members chosen to serve the entire state and appointed by Vice President Mike Pence (former Governor of Indiana).
In 2016, Ms. Jackson and her husband, Wayne DeVeydt (former CFO – Anthem) were honored with the Modern Family Award by the Donaldson Institute in NYC. In 2018 and 2019, Ms. Jackson was honored for her philanthropic work for Indiana Coalition Against Domestic Violence and Global Orphan Foundation.
Ms. Jackson represents clients throughout the United States, who are seeking to build their family through assisted reproduction and/or adoption. Ms. Jackson has dedicated her profession and personal philanthropy to the care of orphans worldwide, while assisting couples and individuals to realize their dreams of becoming parents. She is the proud parent of 9 children which includes two sons from Democratic Republic of the Congo and two daughters from Nicaragua to make their big family of 11!