Celebrating Gail Jones, Operations Manager

This year as we celebrate our 35th anniversary, we are shining a light on each staff member as they each celebrate their anniversaries of joining the Women’s Fund. Our team is a robust group of individuals who are committed to working toward our vision for a community where all women and girls can reach their full potential. We have highs and lows in this work, but we also have a lot of joy, innovation and growth. We are fortunate to have some of our city’s most brilliant minds on the team, who are experts in their areas of practice, who work intentionally to unravel systems of oppression–from themselves and the world at large. Follow along as we dig a little deeper into who each member of this team is, what they bring to the work and how they stay focused on joy while dismantling the f***ery.

Around the office you’ll find them supporting everyone’s needs, providing endless empathy and generally being the glue that holds everything together. Gail was recently voted “most likely to become a full-fledged pirate” by her teammates. 

Gail is an Omaha native. She graduated from the University of Nebraska Omaha with a Bachelor of Science degree in elementary education which she put to use in her eight years at the Omaha Children’s Museum. From there, she took a turn in the corporate world as office administrator at Fidelity National Title Group. Before joining the Women’s Fund in October 2020, she worked in accounting for an industrial supplier. Gail enjoys playing with her daughter and cats, loves to travel to the UK and prefers watching shows that take place before the invention of the train.

Here’s a little bit more about our crafty, silly and amazing Operations Manager:  

Q: How long have you been at the WFO? 
GJ: 5 years

Q: Where are you from?
GJ: Omaha (yawn)

Q: Do you have any pets? What are their names? 
GJ: Two cats—Leon Parmesan and Charlotte Brie.  

Q: What are your “big 3” astrology signs (moon/rising/sun)?
GJ: Hot dogs, meatballs, cookies—did I do that right? 

Q: What is your Enneagram number? Or Meyers-Briggs? Etc?
GJ: 9! Surprise!

Q: What are your top 5 favorite albums?
GJ: Changing this to top 5 TV Shows—Our Flag Means Death, What We Do in the Shadows, The Simpsons, Kids in the Hall, The Office.

Q: What are your top 5 favorite movies?
GJ: The pressure!! This is like Letterboxd, but I get an extra one! Planet of the Apes, Late Night with the Devil, Midsommar, The Witch, Nosferatu. (Find me @toasterjetpack on Letterboxd) 

Q: Do you have a secret talent? 
GJ: Dammit! No! (Narrator: Oh, but this is a lie…)

Q: Give me two truths and a lie (and tell me which is which):
GJ: I think this is harassment so you probably shouldn’t use it, but I touched Ed Helms’ butt (truth), I touched David Tennant’s butt (truth), I touched Brendan’s Fraser’s butt (lie).

Q: Do you have a moment that really galvanized your feminism?
GJ: Having a daughter.

Q: Do you have a favorite Women’s Fund memory?
GJ: This is so corny, but honestly, I am so happy to be around you all that just sharing space daily with everyone is my favorite!

Q: Can you share something funny or cringeworthy from your career?
GJ: That answer above is pretty cringeworthy. 

Q: How do you find joy or hope these days?
GJ: I am a person of simple pleasures, but I like to slow it down and look at bugs, clouds, rainbows, a leaf, whatever, all these things give me hope. It is also why I am always late.  

Q: What are your currently reading/listening to?
GJ: The Haar by David Sodergren—it’s horror, but with a great anti-capitalism message so a win/win.

Q: What would be the title of your memoir?
GJ: Huh? (No, I heard you. I just have Auditory Processing Delay)

Q: What’s the weirdest item we would find near your bed?
GJ: DO YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE ASKING?! Probably some ear ossicles (human middle ear bones, duh).

Q: What’s an unpopular opinion you have?
GJ: The cheaper the hot dog the tastier it is. Don’t try and upsell me on the all-beef.

Celebrating 35 Years

Advancing community-driven actions.
Advocating to shift systems. Innovating toward gender equity.