Shines as New CEO of the Women’s Foundation
& Silver Member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated®
In March 2024, Alpha Alpha Iota Omega (AAIO) Chapter member, Ms. Katia A. Jones, MBA, took the helm as Chief Executive Officer of the Women’s Foundation for the State of Arizona. The timing seemed prophetic as, this year, Ms. Jones commemorates 25 years as a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated® (a “Silver” member). Little more than five short years ago, she became the chapter’s youngest charter member. Ms. Jones has also served as AAIO treasurer and on the Far Western Region’s communications and technology teams, having built an online platform for the region’s first and only virtual conference.
Recently, AAIO caught up with Ms. Jones to hear her plans for the future of the Women’s Foundation for the State of Arizona and to learn how Alpha Kappa Alpha has prepared her for this pivotal leadership moment.
AAIO: As the newly appointed CEO of the Women's Foundation for the State of Arizona, what is your vision for the organization? What excites you most about your new role? What keeps you up at night?
Ms. Jones: My vision for the Women's Foundation for the State of Arizona (WFSA) is to ensure all our decisions are based on our organization's vision, "for women and girls of all identities to thrive." There are so many ways we can work towards this vision, and I am excited to help us do so. I am most excited that we get to reimagine what a foundation can look and feel like to the community. We want to build authentic relationships based on trust, not power. My staff and I understand that the community and our supporters know what is best for Arizona.
I think what keeps me up at night is making sure WFSA is rebuilding relationships that may have been harmed in the past. We are a new iteration of WFSA, and I am doing as much as possible to meet and reunite with folks that need to hear from us.
AAIO: You are celebrating your 25th year as a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated® (“AKA”). How do you believe AKA has prepared you to be Chief Executive Officer?
Ms. Jones: Serving AKA for 25 years has been a wonderful teacher of life and career. I have met so many wonderful [members] over the years, and with those connections have come challenges and triumphs. AKA has taught me to embrace both; to understand that how much I put in is how much I get out. My co-initiates, whom I consider my extended sisters, have taught me that it is okay to ask for support. We want to see each other succeed, and we do what we can to support one another. I take that behavior into the workplace daily.
AAIO: What do you consider your leadership style, and how do you believe being a nonprofit leader has shaped it? How do you believe being an Alpha Kappa Alpha woman has shaped it?
Ms. Jones: I consider myself a servant leader. My largest effort in my role is to support others around me to ultimately reach our team goal. Support doesn't always mean professional: sometimes a colleague needs a listening ear or a reminder that they are more than enough. If my staff is successful, then I have done my job. Working in the nonprofit sector for 20+ years, you experience other people's successes all the time. That feeling of happiness for another person carries me to the next day. AKA is similar. We are "Supreme in Service to all Mankind." I do not take that statement lightly. AKA constantly transforms its priorities to help the most underserved in times of need. I fashion my nonprofit career decisions after this model.
AAIO: The Women's Foundation for the State of Arizona has as its mission, "WFSA innovates to create social, political, and economic change that achieves equity for women and girls." Similarly, Alpha Kappa Alpha has as part of its mission "to study and help alleviate problems concerning girls and women in order to improve their social stature." How do you see Alpha Kappa Alpha and the Women's Foundation working together to further their respective missions?
Ms. Jones: It would be my dream to connect WFSA with AKA in Arizona! There are so many priorities between the two entities that are well-aligned. WFSA emphasizes gender equity in numerous sectors (pay gap, health, and security to name a few). AKA is also vocal in these areas. WFSA also centers BIPOC women and girls whenever possible. When centering an underserved community such as ours, the solutions are beneficial to the entire community. I know there are many opportunities that I can count on and partner with AKA members to uplift this type of support.
AAIO: Can you share an example of a difficult decision you've made in your career and what you learned from it?
Ms. Jones: Just prior to the pandemic, I was in what many would consider a toxic work environment. It was mentally stressful and was affecting my overall health. I was given an ultimatum at that position, and I opted to resign with no new job waiting. I cried; I felt like a failure; and I was angry. But after a few days, the world shut down and I was forced to stay home as we all were. The stay-at-home order helped me to reconnect with my family, to find my happiness and health again, and to remember who I am and WHOSE I am. It was a difficult time for the entire world, but I must give credit to the gift of staying connected to those I love and who love me when I needed it most.
AAIO: What advice would you offer someone starting their career in nonprofit leadership?
Ms. Jones: Find your support community. Particularly if you are person of color, find those you trust to give you the best advice and mentorship, which may not always be the "traditional" advice. My new position at WFSA is a tribute to the individuals that came into my life and gave me time and space that supported the whole me. It is a gift I hope to continue to pay forward.