Capital One/Junior Achievement Finance Park teaches children how to manage finances within a budget, with the goal of preparing them to be fiscally responsible adults. The program is a favorite of Michelle Jackson, president of Junior Achievement of Southern Nevada.
Do you have any news you’d like to share?
Almost 4,000 students participated in our recent Capital One/JA Finance Park mobile, which teaches personal money management skills.
If you could change one thing about Southern Nevada, what would it be?
I would want to change the pace we live our lives. Many of us are going so quickly we’ve lost the ability to connect with one another in meaningful ways.
What has been your most exciting professional project to date?
Working toward a permanent home for our Finance Park and BizTown programs. When you see how the programs are a game changer for students, it’s impossible not to be driven to make it a reality for all of our kids to experience.
How does the Las Vegas community stack up in terms of philanthropy?
Las Vegas is a generous and caring community. However, we still are young compared with other cities when it comes to how we do philanthropy. I believe this can be a positive problem, though. We have the opportunity to learn from others’ mistakes. What is most promising is that many groups in our community are addressing the areas I would note as most problematic, such as our community volunteers understanding the role and responsibilities of board members or how supporting a nonprofit’s overhead costs can drive program expansion.
What inspired you to work in the nonprofit field?
I joined nonprofit by accident. I was raised to give back and help those in need, but nonprofit is really about changing the world we live in. This truth and the variety I get to experience is what inspired me to make this my field.
What have been the most surprising lessons you’ve learned working at Junior Achievement?
The majority of parents don’t talk about household finances with their kids. Also, more than 30 percent of us do not have retirement savings and plan never to retire.
What are the biggest financial mistakes Las Vegans make?
Determining the difference between our wants and needs. It makes me chuckle because in our kindergarten programming, this is one of the main lessons we teach.
If students can understand that what they are learning in school today will affect their future tomorrow and are given the life skills to make better choices with the resources they have, they can achieve their dreams.
What’s the most crucial piece of advice you have for someone who wants to advance in an organization?
Don’t wait to be told what training you need and don’t wait for the organization to provide it. If you know you are lacking an important skill that could help you advance in your career, make it a priority. Your future will never be as important to anyone else as it should be to you.
What qualities are most essential in a good employee or workplace?
A good employee must be a team player who can see how each person, from the janitor to the manager, has important responsibilities that allow others to meet their goals. They also recognize that the success of the business rarely rests on the efforts of just one person.
A good workplace is supportive of employees’ personal and professional goals.
What is your favorite team-building exercise?
Having everyone list things they have in common: traits, likes, dislikes, places traveled, etc. When people see they have similar experiences and circumstances, barriers come down and communication can happen.
Describe your management style.
Inclusive. Like most people, I’ve had really great and really poor leadership over me during my career. I’ve always been the “why” person, even as a kid. I want to understand why it’s the best way to do something, and if it’s not, then let’s discuss how we can make it better. By listening to others’ insights, we can learn from their experiences and avoid pitfalls. At the end of the day, I may have to make a decision that doesn’t win favor with my team, but they know I considered their opinions and have all of our best interests in mind.
What is your dream job, outside of your current field?
To own an art-based business and be able to create artwork through my favorite mediums of painting and refinishing. It’s therapeutic, and you share a common soul string when someone loves what you’ve created. It’s like giving the person a piece of who you are.
If you could live anywhere else in the world, where would it be?
It would always be a choice of where my loved ones live. I can think of many places I’ve seen and loved the natural environment of, but without the people I care about most, it would never satisfy me.
Whom do you admire and why?
I admire the people who serve on our board of directors at Junior Achievement. I have never experienced such complete dedication from a group. They give up time with their families and friends to make our community a better place for everyone.
What is your biggest pet peeve?
Lack of consideration for others and not taking the time to consider how your choices will affect those around you.
Where do you like to go for business lunches?
My favorite spots are Khoury’s and Sammy’s Woodfired Pizza.
What is something people might not know about you?
I grew up in a small town in Northern Nevada with only 75 people in my high school graduating class, and I went to both UNR and UNLV.