Alumni Spotlight: Kai Green

Meet Kai Green, an alumni coordinator and Communities In Schools^® (CIS^®) of Memphis alumna:

Hi! I’m Kai Green. I joined the CIS of Memphis program as an alumna after being introduced to CIS in 2023 while working toward my degree in Business Administration from Lane College in Jackson, TN. I felt this program was perfect for me once I met the onsite coordinators. It was full of professionals who saw potential in me and wanted to support me in any way they could.

CIS of Memphis played a crucial role in helping me land a summer internship with Memphis City Hall through their college and career readiness program, especially when I was uncertain about my career direction. Since then, CIS of Memphis hired me as a part-time Alumni Ambassador, and soon after, I transitioned into a full-time Alumni Coordinator.

My role as an Alumni Coordinator is to build connections with young adults my age and guide them on a path to success with any resources they may need. At this age, sometimes we are uncertain about our future and what tools are out there to help us along the way.

Oftentimes, we don’t have the support to tell us the necessary things we need to know to navigate through life—such as the proper channels to vote, how to apply for credit cards or how to build a resume. I am incredibly grateful to be a young leader sharing this information with them and for my exposure to CIS of Memphis, as it has had a profound impact on my career journey.

I was introduced to the CIS National Alumni Advisory Group as a way to deepen my understanding of what was needed from me to support CIS of Memphis as an Alumni Coordinator. When I first joined the group, I felt totally out of my comfort zone—I’m more of an introvert who enjoys letting my voice be heard through my work. However, Cecilia Lee, the Principal of Alumni Relations, saw an opportunity for me to engage with CIS National and encouraged me to step outside my comfort zone—first by inviting me to attend CIS National’s 2024 Leadership Town Hall.

Town Hall connected me with CIS alumni from around the country, sparking new ideas to strengthen the national alumni network. This led me to be invited to attend the three-day alumni planning retreat in Washington, D.C., where 17 CIS alumni and national staff members came together to share our experiences and learn from one another while brainstorming how to make our “whole” greater than the sum of our parts.

My experience at the alumni planning retreat was incredibly fulfilling. It equipped me with fresh ideas I could bring back to my affiliate work, allowing me to innovate and refine my strategies. Through discussions on the alumni presence within the network, I connected with like-minded individuals who share the same vision—fostering a sense of community and mutual support. We discussed the future of the CIS alumni collective via topics such as how to make CIS alumni presence shown through Instagram reels or trending TikTok videos.

Additionally, we deliberated over resources to take back to our affiliates and ways to keep alumni involved. Most importantly, the retreat made me feel heard, validating my thoughts and efforts. It also encouraged me to step outside my comfort zone, promoting personal growth and helping me develop new skills by presenting what my affiliate has done so far to build our alumni programming.

I was honored to get to meet the founder of the CIS movement, Bill Milliken, and his wife, Jean Milliken, when they joined us for breakfast. Their stories really shed some light on what CIS means and how I could share our message more effectively that “Being Present Matters”.