CSMFO Interviews Board Member Jennifer Wakeman
What are your 2019 goals as CSMFO Board Member?
Since this is my last year on the Board, my focus is on seeing the progress made come to completion so that it can be carried on by another member of leadership. With regard to chapter support, I continue to attend as many meetings of the East Bay and North Coast as I can. The chairs and vice chairs for these chapters are doing a great job building attendance at meetings and providing great learning and networking opportunities. This year I am hoping to launch a new chapter meeting approach for the Northwest Chapter and will report out on that later. Additionally, I continue to support the Membership Committee and Student Engagement Working Group. The Membership Committee always impresses me with their commitment to enhancing member value and engagement. I am really looking forward to seeing what comes of the chapter boundary discussion. Last year, the Student Engagement Working Group was in brainstorming mode, as we organized events and evaluated what would be needed for a sustainable, ongoing program. This year, we are starting with that framework and are focused on building the foundational and value-add pieces so that we have a strong offering when we meet with students and educate them about municipal finance opportunities. Finally, another goal I have is to recruit members into CSMFO leadership. In local government work, one of the most rewarding aspects is being able to make a difference in our communities. I am challenging my colleagues to consider making an impact on our municipal finance community.
What 2019 CSMFO events are you really excited about?
I really enjoy the CSMFO events where I get to sit down with friends and colleagues in person; so I get really excited about the chapter meetings.
What were early obstacles in your career…and how did you overcome them?
I became a Finance Manager for a small town at the age of 23, so age was a large obstacle for me when I started my municipal career. For example, at an annual evaluation, my supervisor told me that my work was good, but Council was concerned that I was too young to be doing the job. I overcame this challenge by having confidence in the work that I was doing and growing my knowledge so that age became irrelevant.
Looking back at your career thus far, who would you like to thank for being there for you?
There are so many who have supported me along the way, however, a few stand out. Karen Chew was the first town manager for whom I worked. She put her trust in me and launched my municipal finance career. Others that I would like to thank are Pauline Marx and Marcus Pimentel, who both challenged me to do more within CSMFO. Based on their model, it is my hope to do the same: see the potential in others, build their confidence through open support and call them to action.
What led you to your first government job?
Networking. My mom’s friend was the town manager in the town where I grew up. I was home from college for the summer, taking a break from accounting and finance classes, and the town’s two person accounting office was vacant. The auditors were coming in to run the final audit and the town manager needed someone to pull documents and reports. She offered me more money than I would have made in retail, so I had a summer job. When I graduated from college a year later, the finance manager position was vacant again and I was asked to apply. That was 17 years ago.
What is your favorite food and why?
My favorite food is salad because it is never the same twice. Mind you, I like to do 60% toppings and 40% lettuce.
What super power would you like and why?
I would like the power to control time because I never seem to have enough of it. I would pause time to get the work done or the breaks that I need.
What soft skills and technical skills really impress you when you are interviewing candidates?
I always appreciate a candidate who has a thoughtful, concise answer that uses specific examples. This behavior shows me that they are respectful of the limited time available and that they know how to convey useful, specific knowledge.
