Jillian Butler serves as the Wavemaker Fellowship Director for the Rhode Island Commerce Corporation. In this role, Jill is responsible for facilitating the annual application & award process, promoting the program to potential Fellows and employers, and measuring the success of the program against its goals. Additionally, she works with the existing Fellows to support their continued investment in the Rhode Island community through various engagement opportunities.
Would you share with us what made you leave your corporate job and come back to Rhode Islandto join forces with the Commerce Corporation?
I truly loved my time working in the corporate social responsibility world- it was fun and rewarding to be able to work with so many changemakers and have such a widespread impact up and down the east coast every day. My move to the RI Commerce Corporation was a combination of being a typical Rhode Islander (and hating a 45+ minute commute!) and realizing that I was ready for a new challenge where I could make an impact closer to home, in the state that I was born and raised in. I think found the perfect position here at Commerce to not only leverage my existing skillset, but build a whole new one!
What is the history behind the creation of the Wavemaker Fellowship? What are the benefits to being part of this group?
The Wavemaker Fellowship program was born out of Governor Raimondo’s commitment to bring widespread, sustainable growth to key STEM and Design industries throughout the state. The program aims to cultivate a critical mass of talented and employable STEM and Design professionals to support these industries, while at the same time incentivizing these professionals to choose RI as the place to build their futures. We already keep a fair share of our recent college graduates. With this program, we are aiming to keep more than our fair share.
Being a part of this group gets you two things. The first is a financial benefit in the form of a fully refundable tax credit worth the value of your minimum student loan payments. This can make a real difference in the lives of recent college graduates. The second is a rich calendar of programming geared towards networking, personal and professional development, and community involvement. We offer access to events like homebuying workshops, financial seminars conferences, meetings, and other special events.
Rhode Island has reached an inflection point where it is necessary to put in place programs to foster future growth and innovation. What are some of the changes you see happening that are driving the state forward?
I may be biased but I think the Wavemaker Fellowship program is certainly something that falls into that category. It’s a win-win across the board- a free benefit to employers that can elevate a job offer in a qualifying field, a benefit to the individual as they struggle to figure out how to breathe under potentially stifling student loan debt, and a benefit to the wider community by keeping bright, talented individuals in R.I. to contribute to the fabric of the state.
I’m also heartened by the recent passage of the RI Promise program [link] and the continued work going into P-TECH programs [link]. Rhode Island is now one of four states in the country offering free community college to its residents. And we have implemented a best-in-class model of experiential education that is going to provide students with the education and skills they need to be successful and provide employers with a consistent pipeline of future talent.
The importance of an education – and access to that education – cannot be understated and I really appreciate how our small state has taken strong initiative in that regard. Rhode Island has always pushed the envelope when it comes to taking risks- founder Roger Williams first called it a “Lively Experiment” after all- and I think our courage in pursuing these long-term, sustainable and systematic changes to build a better future for R.I. citizens embodies that innovative thinking.
When you are discussing Rhode Island and why young people should remain in state what are the most common themes that continually emerge?
My most frequent response to the question of “Why RI” is “Why NOT RI?” There is a lot of momentum building in Rhode Island around innovation and entrepreneurship, and people are starting to feel that ‘the next big thing’ is really within reach. They want to be a part of it. Our cities and towns are bustling with exciting projects, experiments and collaborations all aimed at improving the quality of life for individuals, families, businesses, affinity groups and more. I also think that R.I. is increasingly engaging young, motivated professionals in meaningful ways. There are a lot of efforts statewide to gather like-minded people together to see what happens, what ideas are shared, what impact can be made. Our small size creates a unique situation where only one or two degrees of separation can exist between you, and your next community based project, business venture or career opportunity. There’s a great quality of life at a low cost of living in the Northeast. There’s amazing food, beaches, arts and culture. R.I. is buzzing, and young people want to be a part of that!
What is the vision for the Wavemaker fellowship? What big events are you aiming to
initiate in the coming year?
The vision for the Wavemaker Fellowship is to continue to build and sustain a key talent pipeline in STEM and Design fields where these individuals can contribute meaningfully to their own economic success and the economic success of their companies and the state as a whole. We want to entice people to stay in R.I. to contribute to these growing advanced industries, but we also want to make meaningful connections between these professionals, and all the things that R.I. has to offer them in return. This year, I’m really focused on cultivating mentorship opportunities for our Wavemaker Fellows. Being a leader in your field is one thing- being a leader in your field, and leveraging that expertise to then have a tangible impact on the life of another by getting directly involved in their success is a whole different story.
Who do you look up to? (Individuals/mentors in your life)
My old boss, Jessie Newman, has been and still is one of the biggest influences in my personal and professional life. She is an incredibly accomplished communications and CSR professional who really helped me define what it means to be a true leader. She puts people first, leverages her team’s strengths and is driven by a deep-rooted passion to leave the world a better place than it was when she found it.
Any other sources of inspiration that have become staples in your weekly
routine? Reading recommendations are also welcome.
The Five Minute Journal has been a lifesaver for me. It’s a tool that I started using at the beginning of this year when I knew that it was going to be a year of big things. I was running my first marathon, I was trying to change careers, I was moving to a new city. I needed to be surrounded by positivity in the midst of all this change! The journal is an easy, step-by-step way to bring gratitude and reflection into my everyday life through personal reflection exercise. Meditation works for some, lists work for others. This journal works for me!
RI Promise: https://www.ccri.edu/about/whyccri/rhodeislandpromise
PTECH: http://commerceri.com/ptech/
FountainHead RI Event Recap: A Panel on Personal Financial Literacy by Natalie...
Jillian Butler serves as the Wavemaker Fellowship Director for the Rhode Island Commerce Corporation. In this role, Jill is responsible for facilitating the annual application & award process, promoting the program to potential Fellows and employers, and measuring the success of the program against its goals. Additionally, she works with the existing Fellows to support their continued investment in the Rhode Island community through various engagement opportunities.
Would you share with us what made you leave your corporate job and come back to Rhode Islandto join forces with the Commerce Corporation?
I truly loved my time working in the corporate social responsibility world- it was fun and rewarding to be able to work with so many changemakers and have such a widespread impact up and down the east coast every day. My move to the RI Commerce Corporation was a combination of being a typical Rhode Islander (and hating a 45+ minute commute!) and realizing that I was ready for a new challenge where I could make an impact closer to home, in the state that I was born and raised in. I think found the perfect position here at Commerce to not only leverage my existing skillset, but build a whole new one!
What is the history behind the creation of the Wavemaker Fellowship? What are the benefits to being part of this group?
The Wavemaker Fellowship program was born out of Governor Raimondo’s commitment to bring widespread, sustainable growth to key STEM and Design industries throughout the state. The program aims to cultivate a critical mass of talented and employable STEM and Design professionals to support these industries, while at the same time incentivizing these professionals to choose RI as the place to build their futures. We already keep a fair share of our recent college graduates. With this program, we are aiming to keep more than our fair share.
Being a part of this group gets you two things. The first is a financial benefit in the form of a fully refundable tax credit worth the value of your minimum student loan payments. This can make a real difference in the lives of recent college graduates. The second is a rich calendar of programming geared towards networking, personal and professional development, and community involvement. We offer access to events like homebuying workshops, financial seminars conferences, meetings, and other special events.
Rhode Island has reached an inflection point where it is necessary to put in place programs to foster future growth and innovation. What are some of the changes you see happening that are driving the state forward?
I may be biased but I think the Wavemaker Fellowship program is certainly something that falls into that category. It’s a win-win across the board- a free benefit to employers that can elevate a job offer in a qualifying field, a benefit to the individual as they struggle to figure out how to breathe under potentially stifling student loan debt, and a benefit to the wider community by keeping bright, talented individuals in R.I. to contribute to the fabric of the state.
I’m also heartened by the recent passage of the RI Promise program [link] and the continued work going into P-TECH programs [link]. Rhode Island is now one of four states in the country offering free community college to its residents. And we have implemented a best-in-class model of experiential education that is going to provide students with the education and skills they need to be successful and provide employers with a consistent pipeline of future talent.
The importance of an education – and access to that education – cannot be understated and I really appreciate how our small state has taken strong initiative in that regard. Rhode Island has always pushed the envelope when it comes to taking risks- founder Roger Williams first called it a “Lively Experiment” after all- and I think our courage in pursuing these long-term, sustainable and systematic changes to build a better future for R.I. citizens embodies that innovative thinking.
When you are discussing Rhode Island and why young people should remain in state what are the most common themes that continually emerge?
My most frequent response to the question of “Why RI” is “Why NOT RI?” There is a lot of momentum building in Rhode Island around innovation and entrepreneurship, and people are starting to feel that ‘the next big thing’ is really within reach. They want to be a part of it. Our cities and towns are bustling with exciting projects, experiments and collaborations all aimed at improving the quality of life for individuals, families, businesses, affinity groups and more. I also think that R.I. is increasingly engaging young, motivated professionals in meaningful ways. There are a lot of efforts statewide to gather like-minded people together to see what happens, what ideas are shared, what impact can be made. Our small size creates a unique situation where only one or two degrees of separation can exist between you, and your next community based project, business venture or career opportunity. There’s a great quality of life at a low cost of living in the Northeast. There’s amazing food, beaches, arts and culture. R.I. is buzzing, and young people want to be a part of that!
What is the vision for the Wavemaker fellowship? What big events are you aiming to
initiate in the coming year?
The vision for the Wavemaker Fellowship is to continue to build and sustain a key talent pipeline in STEM and Design fields where these individuals can contribute meaningfully to their own economic success and the economic success of their companies and the state as a whole. We want to entice people to stay in R.I. to contribute to these growing advanced industries, but we also want to make meaningful connections between these professionals, and all the things that R.I. has to offer them in return. This year, I’m really focused on cultivating mentorship opportunities for our Wavemaker Fellows. Being a leader in your field is one thing- being a leader in your field, and leveraging that expertise to then have a tangible impact on the life of another by getting directly involved in their success is a whole different story.
Who do you look up to? (Individuals/mentors in your life)
My old boss, Jessie Newman, has been and still is one of the biggest influences in my personal and professional life. She is an incredibly accomplished communications and CSR professional who really helped me define what it means to be a true leader. She puts people first, leverages her team’s strengths and is driven by a deep-rooted passion to leave the world a better place than it was when she found it.
Any other sources of inspiration that have become staples in your weekly
routine? Reading recommendations are also welcome.
The Five Minute Journal has been a lifesaver for me. It’s a tool that I started using at the beginning of this year when I knew that it was going to be a year of big things. I was running my first marathon, I was trying to change careers, I was moving to a new city. I needed to be surrounded by positivity in the midst of all this change! The journal is an easy, step-by-step way to bring gratitude and reflection into my everyday life through personal reflection exercise. Meditation works for some, lists work for others. This journal works for me!
RI Promise: https://www.ccri.edu/about/whyccri/rhodeislandpromise
PTECH: http://commerceri.com/ptech/