OL Reign Legend: Jacquelyn Howard – Business Leader and Mentor
The Legends Campaign, a partnership between OL Reign and Starbucks, honors women for their extraordinary contributions to our community in the Pacific Northwest and beyond. Prior to OL Reign’s match against Angel City FC on May 27, OL Reign recognized Jacquelyn Howard, a leader and mentor in business and supply chain management.
Howard has 30 years of experience in the supply chain management field. She worked as the Vice President in the Global Supply Chain of Starbucks and has also served on the board of The Center for Food Integrity and Evergreen Goodwill. Prior to beginning her work with Starbucks, Howard spent nearly 20 years in in supply chain management at McDonald’s Corporation and 10 years within DuPont textile fibers.
Though Howard is very accomplished in her field and has established herself as a leader and mentor, her journey to this point was by no means linear.
“I didn't study any of this in college, so I had kind of an interesting evolution. Let’s be really honest – before the pandemic, no one really knew about the importance of supply chain unless they were in the industry.”
She continued, “I was given the benefit of being helped by others that really started with my childhood and having a lot of family around to support me and give advice, and maybe even yank me back when I wasn’t on the right course. There was a lot of love and expectation setting.”
As she moved through her experiences in college and entering her career journey, Howard found herself being mentored and supported by many different people. Having this overwhelming sense of support and identifying people that could support her made her own transition into the leadership side of things feel natural.
“I found myself being mentored and supported by so many different people. Then, before you know it, you're doing that with other people. For me, it was really about focusing on reciprocity at times.”
After transitioning from being the one being managed to the one managing others, Howard took advantage of the opportunity to give others opportunities in the field. It became clear as she was hiring, that this was also an opportunity to develop her own leadership skills.
"I think sometimes there is a misconception about what being a leader really is. It doesn't mean doing the work of bossing people around. It’s not about focusing on the labor, the overtime, the work – It's about getting the best out of people by giving them room to grow. Sometimes, it really comes down to just kind of listening to people. At work, it’s easy for people to forget that everyone is just a human being. Everyone has a life outside of work. When you’re conscious of that, it’s easier to lead with sensitivity and empathy.”
Her outstanding work has taken her to Chicago, New York, North Carolina, China, California and now Seattle. Howard, a true leader and innovator in her field, exemplifies what it means to be a mentor and advocate for others, constantly searching for solutions in the workplace and leading those around her with empathy.
She has earned many honors throughout her career including recognition as One of the Top 100 Influential Women in Supply Chain, ranked in the 100 Top Women in Supply Chain 2021, Junior Achievement Business Hall of Fame 2021 Laureate, McDonald's Women’s Leadership and the Eagle Leadership awards.
“In my career, I ricocheted back and forth between different parts of the country and overseas taking on different roles in the field and taking on different challenges head on. I learned to not be afraid of change or challenge.”
In fact, facing challenges head on is the accomplishment Howard is most proud of throughout her impressive career.
"I think my biggest achievement is being able to adapt to all these changes and thrive regardless of any changes and challenges I’ve faced. I’m also proud of producing great results through this and hopefully leaving a nice legacy of strong people on the team, who all imprint the positivity I strive to carry. Every job I’ve had was challenging, but somehow, I ended up doing well in the job and helping others through it as well.”
As an experienced mentor in career and educational settings, Howard has sound advice for young women looking to start their own careers.
“Even if you don’t see someone with your same background in your field, there's usually somebody out there that will provide you some advocacy and allyship. However, articulating what you want to do is really important. That will help you to establish a network or find somebody that can give you some insight. Then, I would say just don’t be afraid of having some informational discussions with people with no promise at the end. I mean it. There’s something so important about just talking to people and getting a little bit more intentional on the conversation. You'd be surprised how receptive people are to that, but you have to articulate what you'd like to do.
Fearless in facing challenges head on, Howard is raising the bar in the supply chain management field, while passing along her knowledge, expertise and incredible leadership abilities to those around her. In addition to being a leader in business, Howard is a mother, mentor and constant positive force in our community and beyond. Being honored as an OL Reign and Starbucks Legend caught her off guard, but it was a welcomed surprise.
“Well, to be honest, it's totally humbling. I was really surprised when I got the email about it. It's an honor, especially from a women’s soccer team. I think that these players have just done so much. Their determination, especially for everything surrounding equal pay recently, is so admirable. To be called out specifically to have made a difference in Seattle as a community leader is very humbling, I’m so excited to accept this honor.
“As I’ve become part of the Seattle community, I just want to put to bed the idea of the Seattle freeze, because since I’ve been here, people have been super kind and friendly. The community has been amazing. I just want to show my appreciation for the community and all of the great organizations within it. Our church First AME Church in Seattle and all the great people at Seattle Academy that supported our kids throughout their careers at the high school level and then of course shout out to Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority,” concluded Howard.