Darlene Whittington is the Immediate Past Regional Director of the Southeastern Region of Jack and Jill of America, Inc. and currently has the honor of serving as the National Endorsed Candidate of the region in anticipation of the 2024 National Convention. Darlene came into Jack and Jill as the Organizer and Chartering President of the Greater Metropolitan Atlanta Chapter of Jack and Jill of America, Inc. (GMAC). Under her leadership, GMAC became the first chapter of Jack and Jill to attain the designation of 5 Star Chapter of Excellence. She has subsequently served GMAC in the capacity of Parliamentarian and two-time Co-Chair of the chapter’s signature Leadership Program and Debutante Cotillion. RD Darlene was chosen to participate in both the 3rd and 5th Biennial Marion Stubbs Thomas Leadership Academy. In her progressive leadership journey, she successfully served a 4-year appointment as the Southeastern Region Program Chair with oversight of the regions’ Book Club program, Pen Pal program, oratorical competitions, 6 annual Children’s Cluster meetings, and the annual regional family trip. Darlene has also served as the Southeastern Region representative to the National Policies and Procedures Committee, as Regional Technology Chair and for 2 terms as the Regional Editor. In 2019, she was elected as the Member-at-Large (MAL) and the region’s representative to the National Board of Trustees of the Jack and Jill of America Foundation, where she served at the MAL Liaison holding a seat as the only MAL on the Foundation’s executive board. Most significantly, RD Darlene chaired the Steering Committee and served as host Regional Director for the wildly successful 45th National Convention of JJOA in Orlando, Florida, an honor bestowed on a Regional Director only every 14 years. During her administration, RD Darlene safely and successfully transitioned the Southeastern Region out of the pandemic from primarily virtual programming back to initiatives and regional meetings live and in-person. RD Darlene is proud to have reinitiated the coveted SER President of the Year and SER Chapter of the Year Awards. She also conceptualized and implemented 2 special regional projects. One of them being the SER State License Plate project, resulting in the state of Mississippi being the first state nationwide to secure a Jack and Jill of America, Inc license plate. The other project being the SER History/Coffee Table Book project.

RD Darlene is a graduate of Spelman College holding a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemistry as well as a Master of Science degree in Biochemistry from Vanderbilt University. She has had an award-winning 24-year career in pharmaceutical sales and marketing and currently serves as a Therapeutic Area Manager in Hematology for Genmab Pharmaceuticals.

RD Darlene has served in various leadership roles within Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. (Nu Lambda Omega Chapter, Atlanta GA), and as a board member of the National Coalition of 100 Black Women (Metropolitan Atlanta Chapter). Darlene is also an active member of The Links, Incorporated (Atlanta Chapter, VP of Membership), and the Parents’ Circle of Atlanta Girls’ School. She and her family are active members of the Buckhead Church in Atlanta. In her spare time, she enjoys singing, traveling, photography, crafting and spending time with her husband Delmar, and daughter Skylar (14).