Board Profile: Becky Patel

Board Member Profile: Becky Patel

Age: 36

Resides In: Mandarin

Family Details: Husband – Rakesh, Kids – Jaden, 5 and Malana, 3

Pets: Australian Shepherd Mix named Daisy

Hometown: Miami

Current Board Position: President

College and Major: Florida State University – Finance; Nova South Eastern University - MBA

Professional Details: Vice President, Sr. Underwriter at Bank of America

Community Involvement:
Junior League of Jacksonville, August 1998 – Present
President, Board Member 2011-2012; President-Elect, Board Member 2010-2011; Community Council Director, Board Member 2008-2009; Provisional Vice-Chair 2007-2008; Provisional Advisor 2006-2007; Volunteer of the Year 2006-2007; CARES Chairman, 2005-2006; CARES Vice-Chairman, 2004-2005; Volunteer of the Year 2004-2005; Provisional Vice-Chair, 2003-2004; Treasurer, Board Member 2002-2003; Treasurer-elect, 2001-2002; Communications Council Administrative Assistant, 2000-2001; Provisional Member, 1999-2000

Junior Achievement, Classroom Volunteer, January 1998 – Present

Sigma Kappa Sorority, Beta Tau (University of Florida) Chapter Advisor, August 2000 – May 2006

Sigma Kappa Sorority, National Officer, May 2006 - Present

Sigma Kappa Alumnae Chapter of Jacksonville, Various Board Positions, January 2001 – Present

Bright Horizons Parent Group, Various Volunteer Roles, March 2006 - Present

Girls on the Run of Northeast Florida, Coach, Fall 2009

HandsOn Jacksonville, Blueprint for Leadership Cohort, Spring 2011

Member of JLJ since: 1999

Why did you join JLJ? Volunteering in the community has always been a priority to me. I think it is very important to give back and it is something that I enjoy very much. In addition to the volunteer aspect, I was new to Jacksonville and thought joining the Junior League would be a great way to make new friends.

What is Your Goal for this year? I have been an active member of the JLJ for 10+ years and I have seen us do some truly great things. I have served in a variety of leadership roles with an emphasis in Finance, Community and Training & Development, and I hope to leverage this experience as President. I would like to build upon the foundation that has already been established. I want to continue to focus on making the JLJ fun! I want to get people excited about coming to meetings and volunteering. Retention is also a key goal. We are working to meet member’s changing needs and interests through social activities, and more training and community opportunities. We also want to get more sustainers involved by encouraging them to participate in more events. We also are working to enhance our fundraising activities. This will help us in so many ways – more funds to support our community goals, but also gets our name out there in the community.

What has been your most rewarding moment in JLJ? Seeing the smiles on the kid’s faces at CARES or KITK events. I think we are really making a difference in these kids’ lives by giving them our time.

What has surprised you most about your time with JLJ? Just how much fun it can be. If you find the right committee and dedicate yourself to it, every meeting can be a fun experience.

What has been your favorite placement? Why? I loved CARES. It was great to be a part of that committee. We did so much for Norwood and I really felt like I bonded with some of those kids given the amount of time I spent at the school.

How have you been able to use skills you learned in JLJ in your everyday life? Definitely – I am more confident overall.

Give us a reason why you would encourage other women to join JLJ: It is a great way to work together with like minded women to give back to the community. You will also make some great friendships.

How do you think JLJ most helps the community? We help the community in so many ways. We give of our time to so many organizations and we help so many kids. Whale of a Sale is also such a big community service and I think we sometime forget that aspect of the event.