Tell us who you are!
Jacqueline Alyea. I moved here from Baltimore, Maryland, in 2012 after college. I am newly married(!) and now live in Tempe with my husband, Mac. We also have a photography business together shooting weddings, engagements, senior portraits, etc. (alyeaphoto.com).
What is your role here at APESF?
I am the Community Outreach Director. I communicate with families and schools to develop strong relationships and to make sure we are serving people well. I graduated college with a degree in photography and have been able to use that to make videos to share our stories. We also all share office responsibilities…if you call, you will probably get me on the other end!
How did you end up working at APESF?
I had been working for the non-profit Christian ministry called Young Life in Scottsdale for three years. When that internship was over, my friend, Alexia, told me about this job. It seemed to be a great fit, combining my love of people and relationships with my creativity in making videos. It’s been so fun to work alongside Lex and the rest of the team here.
Why have you stayed?
The APESF team really is a family. I always feel cared for and loved. They have been so gracious and flexible with me, especially through the craziness of wedding planning! I also just love being able to see first-hand the people we are helping. It’s enough to keep anyone going, even on the hard days.
What gets you really excited/passionate in a day’s work here?
I love being able to facilitate community and “people helping people.” When I can talk to a donor who truly cares about helping a family who couldn’t afford to get their kid in the right school and then see the family receive that scholarship, it all comes full circle. We just get to play a small part in encouraging community and people helping others.
What’s your least favorite part of this job?
We occasionally come across the “me mentality” (when people are concerned only with their own family and getting “their money” instead of the greater good). This program works best when people are working to support and sustain the school community as a whole rather than just its individual members.
If there was one thing you could have everyone understand about the tax credit program, what would it be?
It has the ability to build really strong community. If everyone donated and brought in donations–regardless of whether or not they needed it for their own children–,we could build serious, sustainable community around schools!
Give me one surprising fact about yourself.
I cannot cross my eyes. Everyone makes me try when I say that, but I promise you, I cannot do it. It really limits my ability to make super hilarious faces. It’s probably my biggest physical flaw.
What the team is saying…
“After over a year of searching for that perfect person to join our APESF family as our Outreach Coordinator, Jacqueline joined us in June of 2015. She has proven in this short amount of time to have an incredible way with our families and schools, be it in person or on the phone. Through her kind way and caring smile, she is able to provide support and encouragement to our families, and her artistic talent has given us the opportunity to share the stories of many of the families we serve through videos and photography. We couldn’t have custom built a better person for the role of Outreach Coordinator.” – Jenny, APESF Director of Operations
“Our newest member, Jacqueline, exemplifies what it means to be unique, creative, authentic and truly caring for people and her passions. Jacqueline is a gifted and diligent member of our team who truly represents faithfulness and kind of heart and soul that makes an organization great. We are blessed and honored that she joined our APESF family.” – Mark, APESF Executive Director
“Jacqueline has a heart for others and genuinely cares about people. This, coupled with her unique ability to story-tell through photo and video, makes her an incredible asset to the APESF team. Since she started here, our reach has expanded and many new lives have been touched because of her ability to connect and create. I count myself lucky to call her a colleague, teammate and close personal friend.” – Alexia, Director of Advancement & Marketing
Jacqueline helps people see what we do here at APESF. Check out our vimeo channel to see her work! Feel free to leave a comment about working with our team members.
