We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Jenna Genovese-Mikula. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Jenna below.
Hi Jenna, really happy you were able to join us today and we’re looking forward to sharing your story and insights with our readers. Let’s start with the heart of it all – purpose. How did you find your purpose?
I’ve come to realize that finding your purpose is a lifelong journey. Purpose is about the path, not the destination. As we grow and change as human beings, our purpose continues to evolve. The important question is not “Who am I?” but rather, “What do I want to bring to the world?” In my experience, that’s the core question to keep asking to move through life with purpose.
Right now, my purpose is to lead a small non-profit. The path that led me to this purpose was anything but a straight line. Looking back though, its clear how walking that path gave me the experiences I needed and led me to where I am today. I’ve had feline family members since I was 10 years old and I’ve always loved caring for animals. In college I majored in accounting and graduated with an MBA. I became a CPA shortly after that and spent the next 10 years working in corporate finance and accounting roles of increasing responsibility. I had a successful career, but it felt empty, devoid of purpose. In 2018, I quit my corporate job with absolutely no idea what I was going to do next. I spent a few months volunteering with other cat and nature-focused organizations before finding Blue Bell. When I started with the organization as a volunteer, I didn’t have any specific goals. Within a few weeks I joined the staff as a Cat Caregiver and my path to Director evolved organically as I began taking on more responsibilities. The organization’s mission really resonated with me and something just clicked.
Within my first year, a cat named Skipper came to live at Blue Bell. He was a wonderful cat and we bonded immediately. Skipper was feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) positive and the disease was very difficult to manage. I wanted to give him the best possible quality of life. In pursuit of that, I really came to understand my purpose. This is what I want to bring to the world: a sanctuary where these cats are loved and cared for and can live out their days in comfort. Blue Bell already existed as that, but when I joined the organization, there was no succession plan. I put myself out there as a candidate to fulfill that need. With my background in business and finance, and my passion for cat care, I was an ideal match for the next Director of Blue Bell. In my six years here I have had the great joy of knowing many wonderful cats, but Skipper will always have a special place in my heart because he was the inspiration for where I am today.
Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?
As Director of a small non-profit, I do a little bit of everything. My job is both interesting and challenging because I never know what the day might bring.
At the Blue Bell Foundation, our mission is to offer loving and compassionate lifetime care for senior cats whose owners can no longer care for them. Think of an assisted living facility, but for cats instead of people. There are not many organizations like ours, and there is a growing need for safe, responsible sanctuaries for senior cats. Although our primary focus is on providing the best possible quality of life for our residents, there’s also a property to maintain, the administrative responsibilities of running a business, and the broader outreach with volunteers, donors and the community.
Blue Bell has been operating since 1989 so there is a long history here to build on. My focus the past few years has been on hiring the right staff, upgrading the facilities, and implementing process improvements. We have a great foundation, but we need to grow our donor base and build our endowment. This is the next big challenge for the organization to remain sustainable.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
The three skills and qualities that were most impactful in my journey are dedication to becoming an expert, keeping an open mind, and developing critical thinking skills.
I think the most impactful quality a person can cultivate is dedication. I will never forget one piece of advice given by my high school English teacher. She told us, whatever you do in life, become an expert at it. This advice resonated with me and became a foundational part of my approach to work. I love the simplicity of it and how applicable it is to any area. To become an expert at something, you have to be dedicated and care about what you are doing. And if you care about what you are doing, the quality of what you do will shine.
Another important quality is keeping an open mind. Life is full of possibilities. My advice is to remain open and you will discover opportunities that you might otherwise miss. It’s important to have plans and goals, but don’t get too attached—the universe may surprise you with something beyond your wildest imagination.
Finally, critical thinking is a skill I advise anyone to develop. This means testing your assumptions and evaluating the real world results without bias. When you can think critically, you can learn what works and what doesn’t. And learning both of those things is equally important to continuously improve yourself and your work.
How can folks who want to work with you connect?
Blue Bell is looking to partner with major donors who believe in the importance of our mission: to offer loving and compassionate lifetime care for senior cats whose owners can no longer care for them. As a lifetime sanctuary, we provide a comfortable home and cover all of the medical care needed for the cats entrusted to us.
To fulfill our mission, we need to secure the financial resources necessary to enable Blue Bell to serve families and their beloved cats in perpetuity. The rise in cost of living over the past few years has significantly impacted our annual expenses. In a few months, we are planning to launch a “Five-in-Five” campaign, with the goal of growing our endowment by $5 million over the next five years to ensure the future of this amazingly unique place.
One of the best ways to help is to include Blue Bell in your tax and estate plans. There are many tax-advantaged options, both for giving during your lifetime and as a bequest in your will or trust. We have developed an Estate and Lifetime Giving Planning Guide, which can be found on our website, that provides further information about options such as: making a gift from your IRA, setting up a charitable remainder trust, naming Blue Bell as a beneficiary of your trust or life insurance, and making recurring gifts to one of our specific funds.
Anyone interested in learning more about what we do or making a donation can reach out to me directly at [email protected].
Contact Info:
- Website: https://bluebellcats.org/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bluebellcats/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BlueBellFoundationforCats
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