Trustee Tuesday: Meet Trustee Jen Free, Kappa Nu
Next up in this week’s edition of Trustee Tuesday is Trustee Jen Free, Kappa Nu. Jen was appointed to the Phi Mu Foundation Board of Trustees in 2014 and served as Corporate Secretary/Treasurer during her term. She was re-elected to the board in 2018 and currently serves on the Executive and Finance/Investment Committees. Originally hailing from Kentucky, Jen now resides in Jackson, Tennessee, where she is a criminal defense attorney.
Jen joined Phi Mu at Lambuth University where she was a member of the school’s softball team. While she was often busy with practice and on the road with games during the season, her Phi Mu sisters always kept her in the loop and never let her feel out of sync. That feeling of family – an unrelenting sisterhood and commitment to lifting each other up to be their very best – has stayed with Jen long after her years at Lambuth were over.
“My Phi Mu collegiate experience was some of the best years of my life, and I was able to enjoy that time because of the incredibly visionary women who gave of their time and talents before me. Those women continue to inspire me daily, and I work each day to be more like them and the amazing women I serve with on the Board of Trustees. Serving Phi Mu Foundation provides me with a platform to share how Phi Mu had a positive impact on me, and to encourage donors to join me in giving back to the organization that has given us so much.”
One of the many reasons Jen enjoys serving as a Foundation Trustee is being able to hit the road and travel to chapters around the country, meeting women who have benefited from our generous donors. She’s made visits to chapters in Washington, Missouri, Mississippi, Tennessee and many more states in between! As a member of the 1852 Society, Jen values the opportunity to share with others why she gives back by supporting the Foundation and encourages members of all ages to consider joining her.
“My favorite time of year is when the M3 Campaign kicks off and we’re all working together to inspire each other to give back to Phi Mu in honor of our Founders. There’s something electrifying about the energy from our collegiate chapters during the month of March, watching them challenge each other to raise funds that will help the women standing next to them. It’s pretty special.”
Jen believes that the Phi Mu experience is unique because of the prominent leadership programs that the Fraternity offers, which are designed to empower women and encourage them to invest in themselves and others. These programs have lasting impacts that far exceed a member’s collegiate years, and Jen believes that the leadership skills she learned in Phi Mu have helped her become a better community member, attorney and friend.
“Each time I talk with a donor about making a gift to the Foundation, the logic is always so clear to me. Phi Mu women are some of the most impressive, outstanding, real women this country has to offer. When I visit chapters and see the outstanding ways our women are leading in their chapters and on their campuses, I don’t know why you wouldn’t want to invest in their promising future!”
If you’ve had the chance to meet Jen, there’s no denying her passion for advancing in the lifetime development of Phi Mu women shines through in every conversation. She’s an outspoken advocate for giving back and has her eye on raising the fundraising bar for the Foundation over the next biennium. When we come together for Phi Mu National Convention in 2020, Jen wants to announce that we’ve exceeded our fundraising goals by millions!
