Jen Bailey: Building Bridges

Jen Bailey is not a regular aunt. She’s a cool aunt. 

Last fall, Jen and her sister Justine Hawkinson attended TeamWomen’s Empower Gala with a special guest– Jen’s 11-year-old niece, Stella. 

Jen and her husband have a great brood of seven nieces and one nephew. And while they don’t have children of their own, Jen said she knew she wanted to empower the next generation.

Jen’s hope is to inspire and mentor her nieces to dream big dreams, pursue ambitious goals, and maybe even shatter a glass ceiling or two. Including TeamWomen in this quest was a no-brainer. 

After her niece Stella attended last year’s gala, Jen saw her moment and seized it. 

When the other nieces learned that Stella had attended a gala, they quickly gushed that they all wanted to go too. 

So she came up with a simple incentive: If you want to go to the Empower Gala next year, you have to attend an Empower Leadership Academy. 

And they did. Stella Hawkinson (12) and Logan Bailey (14) attended the Empower Leadership Academy hosted by Medtronic on July 30 where they learned skills for developing leadership, building confidence, and strengthening resilience. The event included some of TeamWomen’s powerhouse coaches including Julieta Piox, Reelika Schulte, and Nicki Nee. 

Before the event, Jen told the girls there was a catch– homework, of a sort. 

“Here’s the deal,” she told her nieces. “I want you to pay attention. When I pick you up, you have to tell me three things you learned, whether it’s about yourself, about gaining confidence, whatever! But to get the ticket to the gala, you have to tell me three things you learned.”

When Jen picked up Stella and Logan, she got great reports. The girls shared all about how great the activity was and what they learned: 

1. It is ok to be scared when you need to talk in front of an audience
2. Quiet and alone time is important for leaders
3. Trust myself and my ideas

Logan’s sister Paige Bailey (10) had a sports conflict and was devastated to miss out on her Auntie Jen’s gala offer. So Jen told her she could still earn her spot by attending a different academy to learn and get excited. 

Pretty cool aunt move. 

Paige found Coco’s Heart Day Camp, a 2-day camp for Coco’s Heart Dog Rescue where she learned about different opportunities in the veterinary world.

“She was brave and registered all by herself!” Jen said. “You know, they normally travel in packs, so I was proud of her!”

And so Paige, Logan, and Stella secured their tickets to TeamWomen’s  Empower Gala, its annual fundraiser. The girls are excited to dress up, take a stroll on the event ‘Red Carpet’, and have their photo taken. And if that doesn’t pass the vibe check, just wait until they experience the live auction! 

What’s more, is that the girls will have the chance to listen to inspirational stories from a multigenerational panel of speakers whose lives have been impacted by the TeamWomen community. It’s at events like the Empower Gala that women of all ages see how their stories intertwine, learning that despite differences in age, employment, and background, what unites us as women is far greater than anything that separates us.

Jen and her nieces (and sister and sister-in-law, and all the other women Jen has recruited along the way) are looking forward to the November event. 

“We are crossing our fingers that no one has hockey that night!” Jen told TeamWomen. “I tell them we will keep going as long as they keep showing up.” 

Jen, Vice President Total Rewards and HR Shared Services at Allina Health, found TeamWomen about three years ago. She had been looking for a local network of women in business that was an in-person, tangible connection. 

TeamWomen, she said, has shattered all of her expectations. 

“There’s this fabulous energy at TeamWomen events,” Jen said. “It’s so positive. It’s women supporting each other; women lifting each other up; women sharing knowledge. It’s not a competitive group at all.”

Now, Jen is the bridge between her generation and the next as she continues to include her nieces, several of whom, are looking forward to joining Auntie Jen as they age into the TeamWomen programs.

For Jen, sharing TeamWomen with her nieces is about more than the great events she encourages them to attend.

“I want them to know how to find their place, their community, their niche,” Jen said. “TeamWomen can teach them that there’s always a community. TeamWomen has allowed me to say to them ‘Look what I’m a part of! And look what you can be a part of too!”

Above all, she wants her nieces to know that their Auntie Jen is here to champion them.

Afterall, she is a very cool aunt. 

Learn more about TeamWomen’s Empower Leadership Academy’s next event on September 21 here. Learn more about the TeamWomen Empower Gala happening November 7 here.