Get to know the newest member of the St JFS team, Jacquelyn O’Neill!
1. Where are you from, and where did you go to college?
I am orginially from Illinois but grew up in San Diego, California. I went to Saint Mary’s College of California and majored in Accounting.
2. What drew you to StJFS? What made you want to join their team and work to further Catholic education?
The people, the mission, and the professionalism drew to me StJFS. My Catholic faith is the most important part of my life, and it drives everything that I do – so finding an organization where faith and accounting/finance come together to help others is really the best of both worlds. After years in the corporate world, which I am very grateful for, I appreciate the gift of working in an environment and towards a mission that is faith-based. The authentic, joyful, and professional leadership was also a huge factor in joining the firm.
3. What’s a big “win” you’ve been involved with that has had an impact on a parish, Diocese, or Catholic school?
I have been on a parish finance council for a few years now and I was heavily involved in the leadership team of a young adult group for a couple of years as well. I hope to pave the way for some big wins in the future with StJFS as a professional working for these organizations, and excited to pave the way for an even more prosperous future for Catholic education.
4. What is it like being part of the StJFS team? How would you describe the culture and people you work with?
Being part of the StJFS team has exceeded my expectations – everyone has been so welcoming. I am so happy to be part of the team. The culture is collaborative, flexible, supportive, and exciting (in terms of growth of clients, the company, process building, and improvements). The people are passionate and hardworking, professional and transparent, supportive of one another and encouraging each other working towards a common goal. Everyone working all-in with the same purpose and towards the same mission is something that I have never really experienced, and it is something that is so great to witness and be involved in. In addition, everyone has something unique to offer coming from different backgrounds and career paths.
5. What are your goals for your time at StJFS?
My goals are to provide the best advisor services that I can, and to build authentic working relationships and to have fun while doing it. I hope to play a pivotal role in growing the internal side of my work as well – standardizing processes, finding ways to be more efficient for us and our clients, etc. And I hope to help other people to accomplish their goals as well – to be a team player stepping in where ever I am needed to further the mission of StJFS.
6. What do you do in your time away from the office?
Away from the office I love to be outside in any capacity – especially hiking or taking a walk at the beach. (I’m actually hiked Mt. Whitney on Memorial Day and was super excited to take that on!). Other than that, I love to drink coffee, try new recipes, make sourdough bread, read non-fiction, and spend time with family – especially my two adorable nieces.