Generations of Pi Phi Leaders

Interviewing for your dream job can be intimidating; the anticipation and uncertainty are sure to make your heart race. Imagine walking into an interview and seeing some of the organization’s most respected and influential leaders right in front of you. This was the case for Washington Beta JESSICA MANNING HOOPER when she interviewed to be a Graduate Consultant, now known as a Leadership Development Consultant, with South Carolina Alpha SARAH (SIS) MULLIS, Texas Gamma BETH VAN MAANEN BEATTY and North Carolina Beta CAROL INGE WARREN—three members of Grand Council at the time.

Jessica recalls the incredible company of these women and the honor she felt just to share space with them. Still today, Jessica laughs thinking about how this nerve-wracking moment changed her trajectory as a Pi Phi. Little did she know those three women would soon inspire her to leave her own leadership development legacy. A week after flying back to Pullman, Washington, Jessica received a call from Sis Mullis extending an offer for her dream job—and her leadership journey truly began.

From the significant growth to the challenging conversations, Jessica’s experience as a consultant had both immediate and lasting impact. “Looking back, I see someone who was a bit more shy, timid and not as confident compared to the person I was at the end of the experience,” Jessica explains. The opportunity for development not only manifested in herself but in the chapters she guided. “It was an interesting space to be in; to relate to chapter members but also provide guidance. It really refined my leadership skills and gave me different perspectives."

As Jessica evolved personally, so did her professional life with Pi Phi. When Pi Beta Phi Headquarters (HQ) identified the need for a full-time Graduate Consultant supervisor, Jessica was quick to raise her hand. During her time hiring and mentoring consultants, Jessica saw the program from a new perspective. “The relationships I fostered with the consultants who came after me were amazing, as was watching their own leadership journeys,” she shares. “It was inspiring to see who they were when they came in versus who they were when they left the role.”

As someone who experienced the position firsthand, Jessica knew the obstacles the consultants would face, but she also knew they would grow into strong, confident leaders, which emboldened her passion. “The women Pi Phi attracts are of high caliber,” she says. “They’re smart, committed and loyal and I saw that time and time again in each consultant class.”

Reflecting on the many roles she’s held within Pi Phi—Graduate Consultant, HQ staff member and various positions on the Alumnae Advisory Committee (AAC) for two Washington chapters—Jessica recognizes the why behind her work. “I felt like Pi Phi had given me so much and I really respected the Sises, Beths and Carols of our sisterhood,” she explains. “These were the women whose own investment shaped me into the person I am today, and I felt like it was my responsibility to give back in that same way.”

Now, Jessica serves on AAC for Washington Beta—her own chapter—where she’s felt proud to hold multiple roles for the past seven years. “It has been such a joy to serve my own chapter,” she says. Jessica is honored to empower young women at the start of their development journeys.

“We’re helping to refine them, shape them, hold them accountable, and they’re growing. I really feel like we’re developing the leaders we need for the future,” she adds.

Developing women leaders is the exact reason Jessica chooses to give back to Pi Beta Phi Foundation. Through her impact, she hopes to continue uplifting these women and encouraging the Fraternity to grow and thrive. “It's important to me that we remain a leading organization," she says. "I'll do whatever I can financially to provide opportunities for our members to learn, whether through programming or leadership development.”

As Jessica looks at her experience with Pi Phi, she recognizes the growth, opportunities and connections stem from the women who set the example of Lifelong Commitment. “Thinking of everything I’ve experienced and everything I’ve been given, it wouldn’t have been possible without the people who came before me and showed me how to support our sisterhood through their time, leadership and commitment to the Fraternity,” she says.

Jessica will soon be stepping down from AAC at Washington Beta to care for and spend more time with her eleven-yearold twin daughters. Although bittersweet, there is no doubt in Jessica’s mind that she will continue to plant seeds for future Pi Phi leaders just as her own mentors did for her.

Pi Phis at Jessica's wedding. From left: Jenn, Sis, Jessica, Amy, Pennsylvania Iota JEANNIE HANNA BICKHART and Rebekah.