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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.

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curb magazine 2005: balance for wisconsin's young professionals