Talking Leadership with Jennifer Treviño

A member of the 2009 class at Leadership Fort Worth (LFW), Jennifer Treviño has been the organization’s executive director since 2020. She sat down to talk with Madeworthy about leadership and the role LFW plays in our city.

Madeworthy: For our readers who aren’t familiar with Leadership Fort Worth, what does the organization do?

Jennifer Treviño: Since 1972, Leadership Fort Worth has been providing Fort Worth with diverse and enlightened leaders through our community leadership development programs. We engage and challenge leaders to plan for the future and function as trustees by committing themselves to making their communities a better place to live.

Our mission is to educate, empower, and connect diverse leaders who serve as catalysts for a vibrant and sustainable community. Our vision is a community where everyone can be a leader and to serve the greater good.

Our programs include:

• LeadershipClass – gathers established leaders for training in collaboration to address significant issues; 1^st class graduated in 1973
• LeadingEdge – builds capacity, connections, and community trusteeship among the city’s emerging leaders, while also teaching leadership techniques and decision-making processes; 1^st cohort graduated in 2009
• LeaderKids – provides selected 8^th graders a way to develop leadership abilities through community involvement; 1^st cohort graduated in 1996
• LeaderPrime – offers high-level civic orientation and engagement for the newest CEO’s and C-suite executives in Fort Worth and the surrounding area; 1^st cohort graduated in 2016

photo credit: Rachel DeLira

MW: You’ve made a career in the non-profit sector. What is it about working with non-profits that you find satisfying?

JT: The short answer is making a difference in people’s lives and working to make our community better for everyone.

I’ve been working in the nonprofit sector professionally for four years and as a volunteer, board member, and donor for 18 years. I discovered that I must connect with the mission or purpose of the organization I work for; otherwise, it was just a job. Nonprofits provide that opportunity and tap into my strengths of making things better, bringing people along to support the cause, and connecting people to help each other and do good things for others.

MW: You’re a graduate of LFW. How did LFW affect your professional development as a Hispanic woman in business?

JT: [I was working at UNT Health Science Center] when I went through the LeadershipClass in 2009. I knew program graduates were “movers and shakers” in our city, so I saw it as a way to further my professional skills, network, and learn more about the broader community… I was always aware of being a minority in the room, whether that was being the only woman or person of color (I’m Hispanic on my mother’s side and Black on my father’s side). That’s how most of my professional career has been except when I was at Girls Inc. of Tarrant County, and I worked with a diverse group of women. Looking back, LFW and the experiences I had and relationships I formed played a huge part in my work across the community, which helped motivate me to run for City Council in 2017.

MW: How was it to step into the LFW executive director role knowing your predecessor, Harriet Harral, was in the position for almost 25 years?

JT: It was exciting, intimidating, and challenging all at once! But it’s also something I’m glad to be doing as only the third executive director and the first person of color to lead the organization. I am a strong believer that you need different leaders at different times to take organizations to the next level. My goal is to build upon the foundation that Tiny Batts and Harriet Harral laid to leave LFW in an even stronger position as the work continues for years to come.

photo credit: Rachel DeLira

MW: What do you think in your education prepared you most for the roles you serve today?

JT: I think having a strong knowledge of businesses and organizations and how people function within them has been very helpful in all my roles across now six industries.

MW: What have you been able to achieve in the last year that you are most proud of?

JT: We re-launched all our programs in person in the fall of 2021 with some of the most diverse cohorts we’ve had to date. Nearly 50 years on, LFW continues to build momentum and energy around the organization and the leadership pipeline we are fostering.

MW: What do you have your sights set on for the next year?

JT: Celebrating Leadership Fort Worth’s 50^th Anniversary in a big way in June 2023!

MW: LFW is one of the oldest leadership development programs in the US. What role do you think LFW will play in the Fort Worth of the future?

JT: Now more than ever, we need well-prepared leaders to serve in all sectors, and LFW is well-positioned to not only help develop leaders but also serve as a community sounding board as Fort Worth tackles tough issues such as affordable housing and a stronger public transportation system.