The League Pulse Archives
The Junior League of Kansas City, Missouri: women building better communities.
Meet the Board | Jennifer Ray
Meet Jennifer Ray.
Jennifer is the Director of Community Action for the 2013-14 League year. Jennifer is the Senior Art Director at Penton and a graduate of the University of Kansas. Jennifer joined the League in 1999 and has held a variety of placements including: Healthy U Signature Project Co-Chair; New Member Advisor; Admissions Chair; Nominating Committee; Marketing Coordinator; Holiday Mart Retail Co-chair; Holiday Mart Magazine Editor/Print Coordinator. This is her third time as a member of the Board of Directors and previously held positions as the Board Assistant and the Director of Membership. In 2011, Jennifer was selected as the League Leader of the Year.
Jennifer also serves on the Kansas City Host Committee, is a Certified Tourism Ambassador and is a member of the Jazzoo Steering Committee for the Kansas City Zoo. In 2012, Jennifer was volunteered with the Kansas City Major League Baseball All-Stars.
Jennifer shared some of her favorite roles she’s served in the League with The League Pulse:
- I really have enjoyed all of my years in the League and treasure each of them differently. I would say that a few of the most memorable ones were, Retail Co-chair for Holiday Mart, Director of Membership, Healthy U co-chair and my current role at Director of Community Action.
- Holiday Mart is where I meet some of my core friends in the league. I stretched myself and decided to do something outside my comfort zone and had a ball. I also was able to see how the League’s major fundraiser was run and have used those skills to assist with several other fundraising in the community.
- Director of Membership is special to me because it was the first time I was on the board of directors, this position allowed me to meet some many wonderful women, work on getting Active Gold started (later chairing this committee to work out the kinks and get this into a flexible, rewarding placement for veterans of the League) and introduced me to one of my two dinner clubs!
- Being of the first Healthy U co-chairs was an amazing experience. This was the first time working on the community side and with some new league members whom I had admired from afar and eventually formed my second dinner club. The experience of starting a new program was a real eye-opener and allowed me to see how the League can work magic in the community.
- As Director of Community Action, I am continuing to work with our community partners and enriching the experiences our members have at these agencies and within our community. I am encouraging members to experience more group activities and engaging them with the League while they help the community.
- Overall the league has enriched, educated and trained me to be a better person and a valued member of the Kansas City community.
Some Fun Facts about Jennifer:
- Play soccer, tennis (won 4th place in corporate challenge tennis tournament this summer), and run 5k’s for fun, spend time with my nieces, family, friends and my Boston terrier, Chloe. Love to travel.
- Have been skydiving, hiked in a rainforest, swam with sharks, and snorkeled at the second largest reef in the world in Belize, swam with dolphins, climbed the pyramid at the ancient Mayan city of Chichen Itza in Mexico.
- Traveled to Venezuela, France, Italy, Studied Abroad all over Great Britain, have been to almost every Caribbean island.
- Been to three of the four grand slam tennis tournaments: Wimbledon, Roland Garros and the US Open Tennis tournaments. Sat next to Will Ferrell at the US Open Tennis Tournament.
- I am a huge KU Basketball fan and was at the 2008 National Championship game.
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