Monica E. Glicken

I attribute my success to building strong relationships and fostering community trust, approaching every opportunity with thorough preparation and competence, learning from exceptional mentors, and consistently restoring and maintaining institutional trust through strategic partnerships.

The best career advice I ever received came from a federal judge I worked for right out of law school. She shared her own journey as a woman navigating different phases of life—starting primarily focused on her family, and later, after her husband retired, stepping into leadership roles in her community and ultimately becoming a judge. Her guidance was that you don’t have to make every decision for the rest of your life all at once—you can make the choice that’s right for each phase. It was a powerful reminder that there is time to focus on different priorities at different stages, whether that’s family, career, or personal growth.

I often get asked by law students and young attorneys, especially women, about imposter syndrome. My advice centers on focusing on what you can control: your competence and preparation. Equally important is believing in your own abilities—when you do, it shows from the inside out. Take care in how you present yourself and speak. Even if people initially underestimate you, or you’re in spaces where they aren’t used to seeing someone like you, you can overcome that through preparation, excellence, and ultimately, confidence in yourself. For many young women entering the legal field, which remains male-dominated in many areas, developing that inner belief is often the hardest but most essential part of the journey.

When I stepped into my role, I was following a leader who, for 43 of the previous 44 years, had been a man without children. Naturally, I worried about how I would relate to our donors and long-standing supporters, especially since I don’t golf or share some of the traditional networking touchpoints. What I’ve discovered, though, is a tremendous opportunity: the face of leadership is changing. My age and experience as a parent have become points of connection, allowing me to engage with supporters across different income levels and industries. We’re all navigating similar challenges of raising children, and that shared experience has allowed me to form new, meaningful connections—often even deeper than I initially expected.

The values that guide me in both my work and personal life are inclusion, thorough preparation and competence, transparency, and the visible integration of family and work. I also prioritize intentional relationship-building, ensuring that the connections I cultivate are meaningful, authentic, and mutually supportive.