GISA Spring Election 2025 Candidate Profiles: Jackie Lee for Treasurer

In conversation with Jackie Lee, MINT Mobilities, Migrations and Boundaries 1st Year.

Q. What makes you the ideal candidate for your role, and how do you believe your background will help you succeed in this position?

I believe I’m the best candidate for GISA Treasurer because I’m deeply committed to the missions of our student initiatives and ensuring they have the financial support they need to bring their ideas to life. Since arriving at the Institute last fall and participating in events hosted by many different initiatives throughout my first year, I’ve been inspired by the creativity and passion of our students, especially those addressing critical global issues that often go overlooked. My genuine desire to see our student initiatives thrive, combined with my prior experience as a treasurer, uniquely positions me to succeed in this role.

Q. How do you plan to approach the role  in a way that ensures the smooth running of GISA’s operations and fosters a collaborative atmosphere?

I plan to approach the role by first having additional conversations with the current GISA Treasurer to learn more about his experience, and to better understand what already works well and what pitfalls or concerns I should consider and try to resolve while in the role. I’ll keep operations running smoothly by maintaining clear communication channels, accurate records, staying ahead of deadlines, and ensuring transparency in all financial matters. To foster collaboration, I’ll be an active listener, regularly check in with other board members, initiative leaders and class representatives, and approach every interaction with openness and respect.

Q. What past experiences have prepared you for the challenges of this role, and how will you use these experiences to improve GISA’s  efficiency?

In my professional career, I’ve managed financial reporting processes, overseen financial statement audits, and worked on regulatory compliance—all of which required strict attention to detail, organization, and timely communication. I plan to bring this same discipline to GISA by maintaining timely reports and improving clarity around the budget allocation process. In addition, I’ve served as treasurer for two national professional accounting organizations and held roles on the finance committee and board of a local nonprofit. Each position came with unique challenges that helped sharpen my financial acumen and prepared me well for the responsibilities of GISA Treasurer and to improve GISA’s efficiency.

Q. If elected, what would be your primary goal and how would you ensure its successful implementation during your tenure?

My primary goal would be to ensure that student initiatives and class representatives have the funding they need to bring more of their ideas to life. I’d work to expand GISA’s budget by seeking external sponsorships and advocating for increased funding from the Institute. To ensure success, I would leverage both my professional network and that of fellow GISA board members to identify potential sponsors and develop proposal materials that highlight the mutual benefits of a partnership. With persistence, I’m confident we could secure at least one meaningful sponsorship during my tenure.

Q. How do you plan to make GISA more accessible and transparent for students, particularly when it comes to administrative processes and decision-making?

Transparency starts with communication. I would ensure that GISA shares more information about the budget allocation process and provides regular financial updates on key decisions student leaders find important. I would also encourage more participatory input by sending surveys and hosting treasury-based open forums and Q&A sessions, so students have meaningful opportunities to shape how GISA serves them.

Q.What are three core values you bring to your role?

Three core values I bring are accountability, approachability, and equity. I believe in managing funds responsibly, being accessible to students who need help or have questions, and ensuring that all initiatives (big or small) have fair access to financial support.

Q. Lastly, a few creative ways or plans of action (chance to do something different )

One creative idea I’d love to implement is a “Treasury 101” onboarding session at the beginning of each semester for initiative leaders and class representatives. This would be a fun and useful event to help leaders navigate the funding process and have their questions addressed about how to best prepare the budget request form. I’m also interested in piloting a collective budget brainstorm session early in the semester, where initiative leaders and class representatives can coordinate ideas and explore shared events. These ideas would bring more collaboration, visibility, and excitement to GISA’s work.