Jacqueline Wills, C'2000

Jacqueline Wills, C'2000

1. Alumna Trustee Interest Statement

I am interested in serving as Alumna Trustee because my professional background, governance experience, and long-standing preparation for board leadership align directly with what this role requires, and because my relationship with Spelman has become more central to my life over time, not less.

When I left McKinsey in 2023, I took a sabbatical to reflect on how I wanted to invest my time and energy going forward. The answer emerged gradually over that year. I joined the Board of Directors of My Green Earth, accepted an appointment as Membership Chair of the NAASC Atlanta Chapter, and found myself consistently drawn back to community, service, and Spelman. That clarity has guided every commitment I have made since, and it is the reason I am presenting myself for this role with full confidence that I can give it what it deserves.

My path toward board service has also been deliberate. Through the Atlanta Women's Foundation, I completed both levels of the Women on Board workshop series, which grounded me in nonprofit governance, financial oversight, board-executive relationships, and strategic direction-setting. That preparation led directly to my joining the Board of Directors of My Green Earth, Inc., where I now serve as Board Chair. I want to bring that same intentionality to Spelman's Board, as someone who has prepared for this kind of service, chosen it freely, and has the capacity to show up fully.

2. Engagement with Spelman as Advocate, Donor and Volunteer

My engagement with Spelman has deepened across all three areas as I have made deliberate choices to invest more of my time in the institution.

As a donor, I have given consistently for nearly two decades, inspired by the Every Woman, Every Year campaign to ensure that I contribute something every year, regardless of the amount. My giving has included the annual fund, the President's Safety Net Fund, and sustained membership in the President's Society over multiple years. That principle has kept me engaged through the varying financial realities of a long career, including my current season as an entrepreneur.

As a volunteer, I have served in the NAASC Atlanta Chapter since 2021, including as Membership Chair and now as President-Elect, where I direct the Student Recruitment and Engagement Committee. I am a Spelman MVP; this year I led a History and Traditions session with first-year students during New Student Orientation. I hold current STARs training and credentials and served as a SpelAgent for our Class of 2000's 25th reunion fundraising campaign.

As an advocate, my efforts have spanned my entire career. Early at Accenture, I organized an internal giving campaign among Spelman alumnae at the firm. More recently, I facilitated a partnership between My Green Earth and the Spelman Student Government Association to support My Sister's Closet, with plans to amplify it through my professional social media platforms. As Alumna Trustee, I would bring that same commitment to external visibility to the role.

3. Personal and Professional Experience

Educational excellence: I graduated from Spelman as a Dean's Full-Tuition Scholar with a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics, and went on to earn an MBA from NYU Stern as a Consortium for Graduate Study in Management Full-Tuition Fellow. I have continued investing in my development throughout my career, most recently earning a Data Analytics Certificate from General Assembly.

Leadership: My path toward board leadership has been intentional. Through the Atlanta Women's Foundation, I completed both levels of the Women on Board workshop series, grounding me in nonprofit governance, financial oversight, and strategic direction-setting. That preparation led directly to my service as Board Chair of My Green Earth, Inc. In my professional career, I have spent more than two decades in management consulting at Accenture, Candid Partners, and McKinsey & Company, and founded Wills Management Solutions, LLC in 2024. I also serve as President-Elect of the NAASC Atlanta Chapter.

Philanthropic: Consistent giving has been a personal commitment throughout my career, guided by the principle that every alumna's participation matters regardless of amount. As a member of the inaugural Inspire Atlanta cohort, I met my fundraising goal through creative, self-directed efforts without the benefit of employer matching, deepening my understanding of donor cultivation and philanthropic leadership.

Community service: Service has been a thorough line in my life, not a credential. I am a lifetime member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated. At My Green Earth, I serve not only as Board Chair but as a hands-on volunteer, participating in community garden maintenance and food forest development through our partnership with Habitat for Humanity.

4. Initiatives to Promote Spelman to the Outside Community

My efforts to promote Spelman to the outside community have spanned my entire career and have become more intentional in recent years.

Early in my career at Accenture, I organized an internal giving campaign among Spelman alumnae at the firm, encouraging colleagues to stay connected and give back to the College. That effort reflected a conviction I have held since graduation: that Spelman alumnae in professional settings have a particular responsibility to represent and support the institution.

More recently, I have focused on creating partnerships that make Spelman visible in Metro Atlanta's nonprofit and civic communities. I am currently facilitating a partnership between My Green Earth, where I serve as Board Chair, and the Spelman Student Government Association to support My Sister's Closet, the campus clothing initiative, with plans to document and amplify the collaboration through my professional social media platforms on LinkedIn and Instagram. 

I am also a featured alumna in Spelman's Spelman Strong campaign, which has extended my personal story as a Spelman woman to broader audiences. In my consulting work, civic engagement, and community leadership across Metro Atlanta, I consistently represent my Spelman education as foundational to how I think and lead. 

As Alumna Trustee, I would approach external promotion as a formal responsibility, not an afterthought, actively seeking opportunities to connect Spelman's mission and reputation to the professional and philanthropic networks I inhabit.