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A profile in (young) professionalism
Jennifer Leavitt-Moy: Wisconsin's MAGNETic solution to the 'brain drain'

by becky salmela

Modesty and drive. Helping others through public and community service. Giving back, providing leadership and inspiring people to achieve more. These are everyday acts for Jennifer Leavitt-Moy.

There are some who aspire to add community service to their growing list of activities. Then there are those who focus their jobs, careers and lifestyles around supporting and nurturing the community where they live.

Leavitt-Moy devotes much of her time working to improve the city of Madison, Dane County and the state of Wisconsin. Whether she is coordinating events for MAGNET, an organization to network and support young professionals, completing her master’s degree at the UW-Madison’s LaFollette School or working at the Madison Chamber of Commerce, Leavitt-Moy is doing what she loves: improving the lives of others. Only 24 years old, Leavitt-Moy has already accomplished a lot.

But she considers these activities just a start to what she hopes to achieve. Leavitt-Moy wants to make a career working for a nonprofit committed to community service. Having grown up in Madison, Leavitt-Moy feels a connection to the city. “It was a priority. I love the Madison community, and I really have a commitment to Madison,” she says.

Like others of her generation, Leavitt-Moy decided to attend graduate school. Unlike others, however, she decided to stay in the same town where she attended elementary, high school and college. It was Leavitt-Moy’s commitment to Madison and Wisconsin that influenced her to choose the LaFollette School and focus her career in Madison. “For a lot of my age group, you graduate, you leave and that’s considered success,” she says. “I’m not going to buy into that. I think Madison is small enough for young professionals that if you want to make your mark, you really can. I like that aspect of it. If you go to Chicago, you’re one in a million. Here you’re maybe one in 100,000. There’s a better possibility of doing well.”

Leavitt-Moy balances her time between work, school, volunteering and her family. Roberto Rivera, her husband of two years, says her balancing act is part of her nature, though he takes credit for introducing her to volunteering by getting her involved with activities at the Loft, an activity center serving teens and youth.

“But she’s inspired me to go higher,” he says. “I had no idea what I wanted to do, and she really helped me to take my future more seriously.”

Rivera described how Leavitt-Moy assisted in starting of his business, Elements of Change, an organization that builds better curriculum communication networks between students, teachers and administrators. Rivera believes it is Leavitt-Moy’s experiences that bring her success.

“Her experience in the for-profit and nonprofit communities was so essential to get the business off the ground,” he says. “She speaks the language of the business world but knows the needs of the community.”

Leavitt-Moy helped write the business plan for Elements of Change. Rivera has begun spreading his messages of hope and empowerment in Madison, with plans to expand throughout Dane County, Wisconsin and eventually the entire United States.

“She’s one of the main reasons the business is happening,” Rivera says.    

In addition to helping Rivera start his service-learning business, Leavitt-Moy began her career in service in 2001, after completing her sophomore year of college. She began working for Andrea Kaminski, a family acquaintance of more than 10 years.

“She is the one person who sparked my interest in giving back to the community,” Leavitt-Moy says. “I credit her for starting my career in service.”

Kaminski and Leavitt-Moy worked together in the small office Madison office of the Women’s Philanthropy Institute. With only the two of them working in the office, their close contact allowed for development of a long-lasting, personal relationship.

 “I found Jennifer to be intelligent and competent in community issues,” Kaminski says. “I had a hunch she would be a good employee.”

Taking note of Leavitt-Moy’s talents, Kaminski assisted in getting her appointed to the Urban League of Greater Madison, an organization committed to improving the social and economic conditions of African Americans, other racial minorities and the disadvantaged in the Madison community.

“When I was serving on the board of the Urban League, we wanted to involve more young people,” Kamiski says. “I immediately thought of Jennifer because of the great work she’d done with me.”

Kaminski says Leavitt-Moy has provided great enthusiasm to the board, volunteering for tasks and taking charge of getting things done. Leavitt-Moy’s take-charge attitude has left a mark on the Urban League.

“She’s brought a new perspective to the Urban League. The board will be sitting around deciding how to do something or how to get something started,” Kaminski says. “Jennifer will speak up and say she’ll do something like make 25 calls. She’s always doing what needs to be done and takes the initiative. She has proven to be a great board member.”

Leavitt-Moy spends a great deal of her time working with the Urban League and attending board meetings as one of the youngest members of the executive committee. Her work with the Urban League provided Leavitt-Moy with her current job and the continuation of her career goal of giving back to the Madison community.

After completing her bachelor’s degree at UW-Madison, Leavitt-Moy worked for the business school and considered her future career options before deciding to attend graduate school at UW-Madison’s LaFollette School of Public Policy. “I was very interested in social welfare policy and the school has a lot of educational policy, social welfare analysis and management,” she says. “They have a great management track and great teachers.”       

Attending graduate school did not inhibit Leavitt-Moy’s passion for community involvement. She immediately became involved with the LaFollette School Student Association (LSSA). The LSSA serves students by hosting social events, connecting students to community service opportunities, acting as a faculty liaison and providing current students with a connection to LaFollette alumni. Leavitt-Moy quickly took on leadership roles, eventually becoming president of the association.

While attending graduate school, Leavitt-Moy knew she wanted to pursue professional connections and experiences. She looked for work that would advance her career and provide her with the opportunity to give back to the community.

“I was just kind of looking for employment, looking for something to do while I was in grad school,” she says. “I became basically an intern for the Chamber of Commerce and for MAGNET.”

MAGNET is an initiative launched by Madison Mayor Dave Cieslewicz in recognition of the need for a group aimed at making connections for the young professionals of Madison, the people in between school and being settled down. Leavitt-Moy attended MAGNET events, became committed to its mission and decided to devote more time to the organization.

Leavitt-Moy has become involved in a new venture with the Dane County Board of Supervisor's Subcommittee on Economic Development. Leavitt-Moy sees the new committee as another opportunity to ensure all members of society receive the assistance they need. She says the committee tries to ensure that economic development is equitable.

“It’s something I’m committed to and I personally feel education is something disadvantaged people can really grasp onto to further themselves and get ahead,” she says.

©curb magazine - winter 2005
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