Jessica Blubaugh serves as Chief Philanthropy Officer at United Way of Greater Kansas City, a position she’s held since March 2022.
United Way is proud to have women serving in four of our five C-Suite executive level positions.
Each shared responses to the same four questions during this Women’s History Month.
United Way: Share a person or place that inspires you and why.
Jess: Mildred Barnes. Millie is one of the most influential women in not just women’s sports, but sports in general. She was a coach, a professor and a mentor for thousands of women throughout her career and she fundamentally changed the sports of lacrosse, women’s basketball, and softball. She is primarily the reason that women’s basketball transitioned from a half-court game to a full court game. She led the redesign of the lacrosse stick for both men’s and women’s lacrosse. And she’s largely the reason that women’s basketball is an Olympic sport today. Millie is still making good trouble in her 90s and I can only hope to leave a legacy that is one iota of the impact that Millie has had. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xpx2Y2-fIEY
United Way: What’s the best advice you’ve ever received?
Jess: “Remember that the cream always rises to the top.”
My freshman year of high school, I didn’t make the cut to get moved up at softball tryouts. Yet that whole summer leading into that school year, my teammates – who were all upper class(wo)men, told me repeatedly that I’d be getting moved up from the freshman squad–that there was no way I wouldn’t get bumped up to JV or Varsity, and I listened to them. Tryouts came and went. I performed well. The next morning, when the lists were posted – I was squarely placed on the freshman team. I was CRUSHED. I was ashamed. After all, everyone around me believed it would happen – including me – and yet, it didn’t. My last class of that day was with our football coach – Coach Lane. He was a gruff, raspy-voiced tough guy with a soft heart and a daughter with whom I played softball. I walked into his classroom, with my head hanging low. Coach Lane came straight over to me and said, “Blubaugh, the cream always rises to the top.” He then patted me on the back and walked away. I didn’t entirely understand what he meant at the time, but eventually I came to get it.
Sometimes, things don’t go our way. Sometimes we lose. Sometimes we don’t get the thing we deserved, or that we thought we earned. But eventually, it will come around. Our time will come. That advice has always served me well, in moments where I felt like I’d lost, or been slighted or missed out on something.
United Way: What’s the most meaningful part of your role at United Way?
Jess: Without a doubt, the fact that I get to help amplify the incredibly important work of so many organizations across this community is so motivating to me. Having spent my whole career in nonprofit, it’s so fun to me to be able to have my work support so many different missions and organizations. And, the people we work with – our team – I LOVE being on a team and there is NOTHING better than good team energy – vibing, being in sync with each other.
United Way: How would you encourage other women aspiring to serve in leadership roles?
Jess: Be the block and tackler. We often talk about “women supporting women,” but we sometimes have a hard time walking that talk. Helping and supporting the women around (up, down, left and right) you by creating a path for them to shine and be their best selves – I try to live into that every day.