On July 1, 2024, Jeri Powell will take office as President of the New York Junior League (NYJL). Ahead of this special occasion, she kindly shared her reflections on her time with the League and what this next chapter holds. 

What inspired you to apply for the role of President? 

The NYJL’s practice of self-nomination is really powerful. It asks us all to consider what more we can contribute, how we might like to serve, and it challenges us to be willing to stretch beyond what we think we can do. As I thought about my role at the League, I was reminded of the fact that I’ve encouraged many colleagues over the years to self-nominate for roles I knew they would excel in. At this stage of my NYJL journey, I thought, I have to walk the walk! I have to step up, challenge myself, and raise my hand because I have the background and motivation to contribute in this way. The process of applying was a great experience and I hope many who are reading this will consider doing so in the future. 

What are your primary areas of focus as you enter your NYJL presidency? 

I look forward to being a steward of our current strategic plan, which is very considered and is the roadmap for the organization over the next two years. I will say, that one thing I am very excited by is how entrepreneurial our leaders are within their NYJL roles. We have seen major innovation within the Women of Color Affinity Group and the LGBTQIA+ and Allies Affinity Group. Each of these is an example of the League supporting our members and helping them further what they want to see as part of their experience. I want to lean into that and find opportunities for members to build their volunteer experience into what they would like it to be. 

We also saw this entrepreneurial spirit with the Social Equity Committee, which is flourishing. 

Volunteers were saying they wanted the opportunity to use their volunteer hours to work on social impact issues within the city in a specific way that felt different from the work being done in other parts of the League. It was great to see that the League listened and was receptive to helping members create their own spaces. 

I’m also interested in looking at creative ways to grow our membership and build new partnerships in the community. We are in a moment when many women are looking for ways to build community in this new normal where some people are back in the office, but not everyone. There is a heightened interest in “third spaces” outside of the home sphere and work sphere, and I see an opportunity to help women see the NYJL as a place they want to invest in as a third space or community. This is a huge moment to grow our membership. 

What excites you most about taking on this new role at the League? 

I recently was looking at the lovely, newly redesigned Friday Flash, and it never ceases to amaze me how dynamic, creative, and impactful our members are. I think what is most exciting to me is just to support these sorts of creative efforts that are already happening all over the organization. 

One thing I know is that to evolve as a leader, you have to let things go and trust other leaders within the organization to move things forward. That is something I am looking forward to– shifting from execution to supporting, mentoring, and thinking about what leaders in the organization need, and how I can best support them from my new position. 

In this supportive mode, I want to continue to position the NYJL as the preeminent women’s volunteer organization in the city. My professional background involves a lot of advocacy work, and I engage frequently with city leaders. As NYJL President, I look forward to building the organization’s profile as a leader in this space. Our presence in the city is very well regarded and felt through our community partnerships and community impact. I hope to amplify and leverage that long-standing reputation we have and to create even more opportunities for partnership across the city.