Join us in thanking our outgoing Board Secretary, Jennifer Miernicki, for her years of service!
Jennifer joined TCDIP in early 2009, as part of the rejuvenation of the YLG (now ELG) that was occurring at the time. After serving as co-chair for YLG and taking an active role in the committee that is now our Membership Engagement and Innovation Committee. In 2014, Kim Lowe asked Jennifer to join TCDIP leadership as Assistant Secretary and eventually Secretary. Jen fondly recalls awkwardly acting out a pretend “Love Your Lawyer Day” radio show at the strategic planning retreat with the Board in 2016, long Executive Committee meetings at the Hen House over breakfast with Roshan, Val, Apur and others while the hunt for a new Executive Director was commenced when Val announced she was ready to transition to new challenges in her career. “It’s been an honor to serve as Secretary and it’s bittersweet to pass the baton to an excellent and uber-capable Scholastica!”
We asked Jen to share some thoughts about her experiences with TCDIP over the years.
What’s one TCDIP program, initiative, or milestone that’s meaningful to you?
The Emerging Leaders Group will always be near and dear to my heart: it was my introduction to TCDIP back in 2009, the avenue through which I met many of my close friends of today, built a network among local organizations as a transplant junior attorney, and gained leadership development that was unique when compared to the trainings offered by my firm and those of bar associations and legal groups.
During your time on the TCDIP Board, how did you see TCDIP grow?
I love looking around at the Directors and Officers that dedicate extensive time to TCDIP and its mission today, demonstrated at every Board meeting I’ve attended through the years. Serving on the TCDIP Board means leaders show up and invest in hard work and hard questions. TCDIP (and its Board) has grown tremendously over the last few years, and leaders at the highest level of some of the Twin Cities’ most influential companies make a point of not just attending meetings, but actively discussing substantive issues and challenging themselves and each other to improve. Over the years, discussions have become more targeted and frank, which has been a catalyst for greater momentum and impact by TCDIP.
What do you look forward to seeing from TCDIP in the future?
I believe TCDIP is on the cusp of exponential impact. Already a leader in the nation in its programming and philosophy, the next few years present a unique opportunity for TCDIP to directly (including through our newly formed WILD supporting 501(c)(3)) inspire change in law firms, corporations and our community in new ways. Specifically, I see TCDIP’s efforts in the future as meaningfully impacting (1) law firm and corporation hiring and retention of diverse attorneys, changing the historic composition of our profession, and (2) the broader community’s ability to effectuate systemic change by providing a platform for TCDIP attorneys to invest their energy in meaningful community partnerships directly aimed at combating racism.
How do you see TCDIP fulfilling its mission to attract, recruit, advance and retain attorneys of color?
In some ways, TCDIP is playing one of the toughest DEI roles out there: it’s a Member-supported nonprofit that doesn’t directly hire or implement any of the DEI practices it builds or teaches. In the future, I see TCDIP continuing to provide high-quality programming directly to Members, fostering open discussion and collaboration among companies in ways that empower individual organizations and leaders to create real change. TCDIP (through WILD) will also support the fulfillment of its mission in new ways by supporting efforts of individual lawyers to invest in our broader community and effectuate systemic change.