Meet Heart and Hand Fund Recipient Kaitlyn Gallegos
Emily and I have been friends since Bid Day 2010. I know we have our first photo together somewhere – we ended up right next to each other cheering in a huge crowd of girls who accepted Phi Mu bids that day. Even as alumnae, we talk nearly every single day – sometimes about TV and pop culture, sometimes about community events we’re working on or sharing articles on current events. In the aftermath of being impacted by Hurricane Laura, Emily was one of the first people I knew I could count on to help. A lifelong resident of New Orleans who rebuilt after Hurricane Katrina, Emily is no stranger to navigating the post-disaster recovery process.
Because I evacuated to Ruston, Louisiana – where the storm still came through as a Category 1 – I had no internet and very little cell phone service in the first 24 hours after the storm. Without hesitating, Emily began posting on social media and contacting our mutual friends to let everyone know that, while my home didn’t make it, I was okay.
Not long after this, one of the Alpha Lambda Chapter advisers, Marisol Yumet O’Neal, shared in our alumnae group that alumnae are eligible for emergency grant funds through Phi Mu Foundation. Emily immediately volunteered to get the application process started for me, and she and Marisol worked together to make sure they had all of the information needed to submit on my behalf.
Receiving a member assistance grant from Phi Mu Foundation made an enormous difference in how quickly I was able to get back on my feet. While I did have 
insurance, anyone who has had to go through a claims process knows that these things take time. Phi Mu Foundation came through quickly with much-needed support, support that I would not have been able to access without fellow alumnae helping me along the way.
In addition to Marisol and Emily helping with the grant process, sisters from all over the country sent an outpouring of support, including Amber Ball, a resident of Houston, TX, who was able to coordinate supply donations and deliver them to the area.
Thank you, Phi Mu Foundation!
Kaitlyn Gallegos is an alumna of the Alpha Lambda Chapter at Louisiana Tech University and a recipient of a Leona Hughes Hughes Heart and Hand Fund member assistance grant.
I’m very grateful to Phi Mu and the Foundation for its hand in my education with a graduate counselor scholarship and for early leadership opportunities to serve in Fraternity and Foundation Board offices. I want to support the Foundation’s grant work to fund leadership programs and women speakers that teach Phi Mus about building self-confidence and developing the courage to speak up in work settings. We need more women at the table, making decisions in career fields and it’s critical to develop the leadership skills that empower women to express their voices.
As a Chapter President and Greek leader on my university campus, I learned how to plan projects, motivate others, manage budgets, interact with university officials, and have a voice. Every one of those experiences was put to use as I grew my career in marketing and product management in a large technology corporation. In particular, forming connections with Phi Mus and building friendships with a variety of people were the groundwork for learning how to network and build partnerships in the working world.
Phi Mu has given me so much through the years, beginning as a collegian and continuing through today. From leadership opportunities to emphasizing the importance of service and philanthropy to providing a supportive place of community in the Beta Eta chapter and as I’ve moved around the country in the years that followed. As well, I was a Phi Mu Foundation scholarship recipient while at Miami. I believe in the purpose of Phi Mu Foundation and I am passionate about giving back to our sisterhood that I love because of all it has given me.
I have worked for over 27 years at one of the world’s leading entertainment companies. I have held leadership positions of increasing responsibility spanning operations, workforce management and project management. The professional experiences and business acumen, acquired during this time, have aligned nicely and complimented my volunteer roles within Phi Mu including my current service within Phi Mu Fraternity National Council as a National Vice President. Leadership skills including team collaboration, influence, communication, delegation, sound judgment, financial management and strategic planning have been applicable in both worlds!
We live in unique and difficult times. We are challenged as individuals and as Greek organizations. Maintaining and enhancing the financial strength of Phi Mu Foundation during this next year is critical so that we can best serve our members now and in the future. I encourage all Phi Mus to make a contribution during one or more of our annual fundraising campaigns. As well, if not a member of a Giving Program, joining Rose & White ($20 monthly) is a great place to start. If already a Giving Program member, please consider enhancing your gift by increasing your program level. Your gifts today ensure that together with Phi Mu Foundation, our legacy will remain strong for generations of Phi Mus to come!