Jenna is an associate counsel at CapMetro, where the mission is to empower and enhance communities through the delivery of high-quality public transportation in Austin and its surrounding areas. Jenna graduated from the University of Texas at Austin and St. Mary’s University School of Law. Her passion for leadership and bar service dates back to her time at St. Mary’s, where she served as the Student Bar President and held positions as director, Secretary, and Vice President of the San Antonio Young Lawyers Association before moving to Austin in 2016.
In 2018, Jenna began her journey in the Austin legal community by participating in the Austin Bar Association Leadership Academy and running for a director position in 2019. She volunteered with multiple committees and events, co-chaired the Community Service Days Committee and AYLA Day of Service Committee for several years, and navigated the challenges of the 2020 pandemic by finding creative ways to continue giving back. In addition to serving as an AYLA director, Jenna served on the Juvenile Law Section of the State Bar as a council member for six years and as the District Director representing the Austin area for one term with the Texas Young Lawyers Association.
In 2023, Jenna was elected treasurer of AYLA for 2023-2024 and president-elect for the 2024-2025 bar year. She has been recognized for her leadership with numerous awards from both the Austin and Texas Young Lawyers Associations and was honored as a “GOLD: Graduate of the Last Decade” 10 under 10 honoree by the St. Mary’s School of Law GOLD Council.
AL: Tell us about yourself. What do you like to do for fun? Pets/family/activities outside the profession?
JM: I am from Round Rock and have stayed in the Central Texas area for most of my life. I’ve always had a calling to service and to help and lift up others. In 2015, I had the opportunity to go on a Mission Trip to Haiti to help support an orphanage just outside of Port Au Prince. I fell in love with the country and people (and food), which led to six trips to Haiti total, starting a nonprofit to support the older children who were aging out of the orphanage, and later a program to help house and educate young adults. While the physical work in Haiti was not able to continue after 2020, we have since stayed in touch with and continue to support our friends and now, family, from Haiti. I’ve had the privilege to serve on the board for some great local nonprofits and look forward to finding similar roles in the future.
I’ve been married to my husband, Ryan, for six years. We met on Bumble and initially connected through public service. Since day one, he has been a huge supporter of my leadership and commitment to service. He even went on a service trip to Haiti with our nonprofit group. In 2019, we got married in Salado and now have two daughters and our first baby, our eight-year-old dog, Lola. These days for fun, I spend time with friends and family, taking the girls to live music events, doing and supporting all things Austin FC, and going on adventures. I also enjoy volunteering and supporting nonprofits with AYLA or with friends who have an affinity for service.
AL: Why and how did you first get involved with AYLA?
JM: I actually became a member of AYLA while in law school. My goal was always to come back to Austin. David Courreges and Katie Fillmore were instrumental in reaching out to St. Mary’s law students interested in returning to Austin and encouraged membership and attendance at AYLA events while home between semesters. When I moved back to Austin in 2016, I was invited to apply for the leadership academy by Meghan Kempf and then followed the path of committee service, director, and executive board with AYLA.
AL: Tell us about some of your goals/plans for the upcoming year.
JM: This year, I’d like to continue reconnecting members of the local legal community post-pandemic and engage with attorneys across all practice areas. I plan for AYLA to continue to offer a variety of opportunities to enhance the practice of law and serve the community together while strengthening and supporting young lawyers in the Austin area. One of my goals is to find more ways for AYLA members to benefit from membership including more opportunities and events where members can bring friends and family to combine networking, social, and quality time together. For example, I hope for the Community Service Days committee to plan community service activities with nonprofits that allow children to attend and to encourage and welcome members to bring their friends, family, and colleagues to the service events. This would be to create space for members to get to know each other beyond the suits and not feel like they have to choose who they are spending time with for the AYLA events that are not during working hours are not lawyer specific.
AL: What would you say to young lawyers to show them the benefit of joining AYLA?
JM: AYLA offers an opportunity to network and build relationships with attorneys, judges, and practitioners from various fields. It’s also a chance to serve the community, access continued legal education, attend social and wellness events, and enjoy some of the unique experiences that Austin has to offer.