Resume: Jennie Miller Helderman
Writing/Publications
- As the Sycamore Grows, (Summers Bridgewater Press, 2010), award-winning nonfiction narrative.
- Nominated for 2007 Pushcart Prize, “Angel at the Crossroads,” flashquake, Spring 2006. The Pushcart Prize – Best of the Small Presses series, published every year since 1976, is the most honored literary project in America.
- Gival Press, LLC, 2004 Finalist, “Bridget” (one of three finalists).
- Nightbird Singing in the Dead of Night, an anthology containing “Bridget,” Nightbird Publishing Co., September, 2009.
- Hanukkah Trivia, (with Mary Caulkins. Paperback, Crane Hill Publishers. 1999. Hardcover edition, Gramercy (an imprint of Random House), August 6, 2002.
- Christmas Trivia (with Mary Caulkins. Paperback. Crane Hill Publishers. 1998. Hardcover edition, Gramercy, August 6, 2002
- Freelance profile and feature writer for national magazines.
The Key, a 150,000-circulation quarterly magazine of Kappa Kappa Gamma, published continually since 1872. Chaired Editorial Board, 1988–1990. Alumnae and Arts Editor, 1992-96. Still write features and profiles.
Newspapers and other publications.
Community and Civic Leadership
Vice Chair and Member of Board of Trustees of Alabama Department of Human Resources: Served six-year term on six-member board, 2000–2006. Presided as Vice Chair, 2004–2006. Responsible for oversight and policies of state social services in Alabama, including services to children, families, and the elderly, assisting about 520,000 clients per month. With a budget of $1.6 billion and 5,000 employees, DHR is Alabama’s largest agency.
President and Member of Board of Directors of Northwest Alabama Children’s Advocacy Center. 1995–2004. Chaired Board of Center serving abused children in six-county area with 2,400+ clients annually. Presided over reorganization and training of Board; doubled size of physical facilities; added forensic examination staff and clinic.
Member of Board of Directors of The Leading Edge Institute, 2000–2003. Worked with organization of the agency and setting up the program, a private, not-for-profit leadership development program for young women in Alabama on 22 college and university campuses.
President and Member of Board of Directors of Voices for Alabama’s Children, 1995–1999. President, 1998 and 1999. Statewide child advocacy organization uniting the efforts and interests of many organizations in Alabama. Advocated with state officials and the legislature for laws affecting the welfare of children. Set up statewide notification network to track legislation and aid in lobbying. Successful in gaining a cabinet-level Department of Children’s Affairs; increased budgeting for schools; and passing law benefiting children. Set up program for newborns-to-age-five, Babies Are Born Learning, with presentation to and subsequent endorsement by the entire legislature and Appeals and Supreme Courts. Published and distributed Alabama Kids Count, an annual data book of indicators of children’s welfare; this data is used by many other agencies, schools and individuals in gaining grants to aid children.
Leadership Alabama, class of 1996. An organization of more than 600 citizen leaders of Alabama.
Leadership America, class of 1995. National leadership program for women. Network of 2,200+ women in business and government. Sponsor of The Women’s Museum in Dallas, Texas.
Incorporator and President-elect of Gadsden Area All America City, Inc, a citizen’s group organized to improve the quality of life in the Gadsden, Alabama, area. This group succeeded in winning the 1991 All America City award of the National Civic League. Worked personally with George H. Gallup in conducting a poll about community needs; then coordinated twelve citizen task forces to meet those needs. Moved to Florence, Alabama, prior to assuming presidency. 1991-1993.
Board Member of Alabama Society of Fine Arts, Chair of Awards Committee, 1992–1997.
Board Member and Coordinator of The Alabama Prize, An annual $10,000 award given to an Alabama artist by three New York Times regional newspapers and presented by the Governor of Alabama. Oversaw selection of the winner, planned the event at the Governor’s Mansion, communicated with the celebrities, handled publicity and public relations. 1988–1992.
Board of Trustees, Kappa Kappa Gamma Fraternity, an international women’s organization with 150,000 membership; an elected office.
Director of Chapters. 1990–1992. Responsible for the programming and physical property of chapters on 122 college campuses in the United States and Canada, totaling approximately 14,000 collegiate members. Initiated new chapter management system; developed new leadership training model; implemented programs in women’s health, risk management, personal safety, and self-esteem issues. Monthly newsletter received first‑place award from National Panhellenic Conference.
Vice President. 1988–1990. Responsible for public relations, auxiliary income, and publications, including the quarterly magazine, The Key. Introduced business principles and commercial advertising to the magazine. Dealt with media representatives, publicists, campus authorities, and attorneys regarding publicity and public relations. Developed new training manuals. Supervised updating of trademarks. Instigated development of Greek Properties, Inc., a licensing consortium of 20+ sororities and fraternities. Served on the Board of the Heritage Museum for preservation of home of governor of Ohio during Civil War.
Chairman of Advisory Boards of Kappa Kappa Gamma. 1986-1988. Responsible for recruiting, training and supervision of 1200 alumnae advisers in US and Canada.
Province Director of Chapters of Kappa Kappa Gamma. 1983-1986. Elected two terms. Responsible for programming and public relations of eight college chapters in Alabama, Mississippi, Tennessee and Kentucky.
Office of Congressman Tom Bevill, Washington, D. C. Staffwork while pursuing MPA degree. Constituent services, wrote news releases and radio scripts, met with visiting constituent groups. Spring, 1985.
Gadsden TV, Inc., President. Started WNAL as a new television station through the construction permit process. 1976-1979.
Coordinator of Volunteers, Anchor, Inc., in Gadsden, AL, a community-based social service agency serving 8500-10,000 clients per year. Identified unmet needs of area; launched new agencies, such as the first women’s shelter from domestic violence, Legal Aid, Retired Senior Volunteer Program, a crisis center, food bank, Green Thumb program; provided information and referral services. Recruited and trained 60-75 community volunteers per year to staff agency; partnered with CETA, VISTA, and the Gadsden Service Guild in training volunteers to staff Anchor and other agencies. Taught courses in group dynamics on contract with Gadsden State Junior College. 1971-1975. Elected to Board of Directors 1975-1984. Presented Award for Outstanding Service.
Atlanta Writers Club Critique Group Co-ordinator, 2008-present. Organize, instruct, and oversee peer critique groups among the 500 members of the writers club.
Art Partners, 2008-present, a volunteer support group of The High Museum. Member of Program Committee organizing and conducting exhibits, tours and fundraising events for patrons of the arts in Atlanta.
All Saints Episcopal Church, 2009-present. Staff member of monthly publication with 2000 circulation.
Education
Masters in Public Administration, Jacksonville State University, Jacksonville, AL
BA in English, Minor in History, University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL
Agnes Scott College, Atlanta, GA, Freshman year
Associate in Mental Health Technology, Gadsden State Junior College, Gadsden, AL
Writing Courses: Vermont College for Fine Arts Postgraduate Writing Program, 2008; Master Class on Novel Writing and Fiction Writing, Atlanta, 2008; Advanced Magazine Writing, University of Alabama, 2005; Creative Writing, University of North Alabama, five semesters; Gotham courses in Fiction, Advanced Fiction, Novel, and Memoir; Algonkian Writers with Michael Neff of Web del Sol, Tucson, AZ, 2002.
Writing Conferences: Vermont College Postgraduate Writing Conference; Atlanta Writers Conference; University of North Alabama; The Lost State Writers Conference, Greeneville, TN; The Oxford Conference on the Book, Oxford, MS.
Personal
Helderman resided in Alabama until moving to Atlanta in 2007. She enjoys photography, travel, history and puzzles. She was one of 14 Alabama journalists who met with Russian journalists and television news people in Moscow and St. Petersburg in 1992, prior to the fall of the U.S.S.R. Later sponsored an aspiring Russian entrepreneur to study in the United States. In 2000 she made the pilgrimage to Camino de Santiago de Compostela, Spain, walking 125 miles across northern Spain. In 2002, she was a photographer on an archeological research team in Pompeii, Italy, with Earthwatch Foundation.
Married, mother of two adult children, grandmother of three. Husband is retired newspaper publisher, working for New York Times 1985–2003, and for family owned properties in Alabama, Tennessee, Kentucky, Georgia, and Virginia prior to 1985; president of Alabama Press Association two years; a member of the Alabama State Arts Council 2001-2007.
Membership in Organizations: American Society of Journalists and Authors, The Authors Guild; The Atlanta Press Club; The Atlanta Writers Club; The Alabama Writers Forum; Writers and Critters (an international online women’s writing group); Art Partners, a support group for the High Museum, Atlanta; Kappa Kappa Gamma Fraternity; Episcopal church; Leadership America; Leadership Alabama.
