Meet our April Alumna Spotlight: Rebecca Jones

Our April Spotlight features Rebecca Jones, an alumna of the Delta Chapter of Kappa Alpha Theta at the University of Illinois. Rebecca has served as one of our advisors and FCB members! She also works as a CASA, a Court Appointed Special Advocate. Hear more about her story and CASA below!

Name: Rebecca Jones

Theta Member Class & Chapter: Delta, MC ‘92, University of Illinois

Degree: Organizational Communications and Business, graduated 1992

Hometown: Peoria, IL

Where you live now: Columbia, MO

You work with CASA, Kappa Alpha Theta’s philanthropy! What makes you love CASA?

It has been an amazing journey to both see and serve CASA from so many sides of the organization. In college, I got to participate in fundraisers to raise money for CASA. When I moved to Missouri, I joined the Board of Directors for the state association, MOCASA, where we established policy and sought to expand CASA chapters throughout the state. Then after serving my 6 year term at the state level, I decided to go through training with HOMCASA and become a CASA advocate myself. I now have the privilege of working alongside 3 of the sweetest little people you could ever meet, siblings, ages 2 months through 7 years, and giving them a voice in their circumstance. It is certainly the most rewarding thing I’ve ever done.

Can you share a moment in your CASA journey that really stuck with you?

I always thought I understood what “being the voice of the child” meant until I actually came face to face with a real life scenario. I started my CASA case with just one child, and she had been placed with her grandma while mom and dad were figuring things out. About a year and a half into the case, her half sibling was born and the caseworker called to let me know she had found a nice foster home. She would be removing the little girl so that the two children could be placed together in foster care. I explained all the reasons that was not the right solution for this little girl, and we found a way for both children to stay with their grandma!

What would you say to someone attending our Pasta for CASA who might not know much about CASA’s mission?

CASA is all about protecting society’s most vulnerable kiddos. Every child who needs a CASA is involved in an abuse or neglect situation. Unfortunately, there aren’t enough CASA advocates to go around, so figure out where is the best place for you to help. If you can donate money, that funds the ability to train and hire more CASA volunteers. If you can donate time, then become a volunteer. You will undoubtedly be better for having done so.

Where do you work right now/what have you been up to since graduation?

I joined a large management consulting firm out of college and worked on organizational change and human performance projects for consumer products companies all across the US. When I had my first daughter in 2000, I started my own consulting business and contracted with more regional companies, universities, and nonprofit clients to implement change solutions in their organization. I am currently working for an education foundation and assisting with their fundraising, alumni support, and communication needs.

What's your favorite thing about your job?

It’s never the same! Every client, every project, every need is different, and I have to adapt the solution to best meet the needs of the client and their current goals.

You were a member of the Delta Chapter of Kappa Alpha Theta at the University of Illinois! What impact has Theta left on you?

Sororities are still relevant. They still serve as a vehicle for young women to find their place, their voice, true friendship and leadership opportunities that are unparalleled in any other student organization. So if you choose to join, then realize that you have a responsibility and an obligation to not just take from it, but add to it. Theta is bigger than you, bigger than these four years. It’s all the women who came before you and all those who will come after. Make sure you’re doing your part so that the women coming behind you will benefit as much if not more than you did.

As a Delta-initiated Theta, you served Alpha Mu as a Chapter advisor and have been an FCB member of Alpha Mu for the past 22 years, even donating to the Forever Home Capital Campaign. Can you share a favorite Theta memory from either your time at Delta or while serving Alpha Mu?

I have lots of great memories from both of those phases of my life, but if I’m picking my favorite Theta memory, it has to be from the Upsilon Chapter at the University of Minnesota. My oldest daughter, Riley, pledged Theta there in 2019. I joked that all of my subliminal messaging and only hiring Theta babysitters during her childhood must have paid off. I traveled to Minnesota that fall and got to surprise her during her initiation ceremony, so that will forever be one of my biggest Theta highlights!