Jackie has represented Dumbarton Constituency since 1999 when the Parliament was first created.  Prior to this she worked in both the public and voluntary sector, most recently as a Community Economic Development Manager for a local authority.  Born in Hong Kong to a Portuguese father and Scottish mother, Jackie now lives in Dumbarton with her husband and her teenage daughter.

In the past, Jackie served as Deputy Minister for Communities under the then First Minister Donald Dewar from 1999 until 2000, before being promoted to Social Justice Minister from 2000 until November 2001.

After the May 2007 Scottish Parliament elections Jackie returned to Labour's front benches as Shadow Minister for Parliamentary Business.  In 2008 she was appointed to a newly created position as Labour's Chief of Staff in the Scottish Parliament.  Jackie is currently serving as Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing, Deputy Convener for the Finance Committee and a Substitute Member of the Equal Opportunities Committee.

Jackie is committed to tackling poverty and achieving social justice so that we can live in a society which is founded on fairness and justice; a society characterised by opportunity.  This commitment is what motivates her in representing her constituents in Parliament.

Cross-Party Groups in the Scottish Parliament

Jackie is currently a member of the following groups;

Learning Disablity (Convener),  Tackling Debt (Co-Convener), Recreational Boating and Marine Tourism (Deputy Convener), Children and Young People, Disability, Housing, Town and City Centre Development, Palestine, China.