Q&A with Members of JLW’s Board of Directors

Now that they've had a few months to settle into their roles, we wanted to spend five minutes talking to some of our current Board about their experiences! 

Jessica Taylor White, Ways & Means Council Director

Jess is in her second consecutive year of service on the JLW Board of Directors; last year, she served as New Membership Council Director. She has also served on the Friends of the Junior League, Member Recruitment, New Members, and Transfers Committees, and is currently completing a secondary placement with A Wider Circle.

1. What inspired you to serve on the Board?

While serving as a leader on the New Membership Council, I worked with three council directors that I really admired – Amanda Walke, Stacey Tuneski, and Meredith Scialabba. All three encouraged the women they worked with to stretch themselves and try new things, and they made the idea of board service very approachable.

2. How is your Board service benefitting you and the League?

I hope that in my Board service, I am helping women in our League develop their potential as leaders in the same way that other Board members have helped me. I have learned a great deal from the other women I've served with on the Board and on my council. I hope to one day serve on other nonprofit boards,and the JLW Board is a great training ground for volunteer leadership.

3. What is an average JLW week for you like?

The time commitment for me is around 6-8 hours per week. I know that sounds like a lot, but much of it is flexible. An average JLW week for me includes: a meeting at Headquarters (a council meeting, a Board meeting, or a committee meeting); approximately 30 minutes of emails daily; approximately two hours of calls weekly (I spend a lot of time in the car, so I love to multitask and get my calls in during my driving time); and about 2 hours of fun! I always like to meet up with JLW friends before or after meetings. Some of the friendships I've made in the League are part of why I'm still here after nearly 10 years. 

4. What would you say to a JLW member who wanted to self-nominate?

Step up and tell the leaders around you that you are interested. Volunteer to do more on your committee. Meet other leaders at JLW events to learn more about the areas you are interested in. Attend Board meetings.

I don't think there is any ideal profile of a good Board member. The diversity of experiences and backgrounds around the table are part of what makes our organization so strong. Commonalities we all share are our values and commitment to the service and to our mission. With everyone bringing that to the table, the work is bound to be impactful.

Mandy Asgeirsson, New Member Council Director

Mandy has been a member of JLW since 2011. Currently in her first year on the Board of Directors as New Membership Council Director, Mandy was most recently an Assistant Council Director for the New Membership Council. Her other placements include Esprit, Magazine, and Member Recruitment.

1. What inspired you to serve on the Board?

For me, I decided to apply for the Board because I really wanted to continue in my path in leadership, and I felt that I had gained enough institutional knowledge and experience after serving as chair and assistant council director. I was really interested in understanding how our organization is run, and how decisions are made.

2. How is your Board service benefitting you and the League?

I think that Board service is really expanding my view of the League, and taking me out of my comfort zone. It becomes easy to focus on the day to day of the New Membership Council, which I'm comfortable with from experience, but Board service requires me to take a step back and look at the League holistically.

3. What is an average JLW week for you like?

It really varies week to week. Most weeks, I have at least one meeting at Headquarters, plus I have emails to respond to most days. Then, I have a couple additional meetings, socials, or commitments each month. 

4. What would you say to a JLW member who wanted to self-nominate?

I would highly recommend members to self-nominate! It helps the Nominating Committee understand your interest in leadership, and it opens you up to new opportunities. It might not happen right away, but it's the only way the committee will know you're interested!

Colli McKiernan, Cultural Community Placement Council Director

Colli has been a member of JLW since 2013. Before joining the Board this year, she spent four years volunteering with the National Museum of Women in the Arts Committee, including one year as chair. She has also completed a secondary placement with the New Members Committee.

1. What inspired you to serve on the Board?

I was encouraged to serve on the Board by the previous cultural Community Placement Council (CPC) Director, who thought my skill set and background would provide a valuable perspective to the Board of Directors. Personally, I wanted to serve on the Board so that I could help message the great work performed daily by the more than 175 women supporting a cultural community placement this year.

2. How is your Board service benefitting you and the League?

One of my primary goals for this League year is to develop the potential of leaders serving on a community placement. As a CPC Director, I work with many talented individuals who serve in a variety of leadership roles; I think it’s critical to provide a space for these women to grow through meaningful successes and safe failures.

I’ve learned so much about the League and its leadership hierarchy, work performed on other councils, and nonprofit governance, in general. It’s interesting to see how the experience of women serving on in-League placements is markedly different than that of our community volunteers. I feel appreciative of the opportunity I’ve been given, as a Board member, to have so much cross-League exposure to the objectives of, and women on, other Councils.

3. What is an average JLW week for you like?

Every day is different. I spend a few hours every day responding to questions and requests via e-mail (in support of women on my Council and across the League); I also participate in several Junior League phone calls and meetings each week. Overall, I probably spend 10 to 15 hours a week on Junior League activities.

4. What would you say to a JLW member who wanted to self-nominate?

I would encourage all women interested in Board service to submit a self-nomination! The Nominating Committee contains a breadth of leaders who have served across different councils and committees, but they don’t know all 2,300 members of the League. If you have an interest in serving on the Board, I would recommend speaking with your current council or committee leadership to talk through the responsibilities of their position and find ways your skill set could enhance a future Board; we’re also looking for rising stars, so expressing your interest in a future leadership role (at the Board, assistant council director, chair, or vice chair level) is always welcome.

Though the Board only contains 16 women, its members must consider the current and future needs of the League, as a whole, when making any decision or recommendation. And, since there are a lot of parts of the League and procedures we follow with which a Board member may not be familiar, it’s important to ask for help if you don’t know the answer to a question or the date by which a task must be completed.