HOPE Toledo Names New Leadership Position

Shawna Woody to serve as Vice President Operations

Toledo, Ohio, May 17, 2020 — John C. Jones, president of HOPE Toledo, has announced that Shawna Woody has been named the organization’s vice president of operations. Woody will be responsible for the development and implementation of policies and procedures, program efficiencies, fiscal management and tracking and evaluation for the organization.

“HOPE Toledo’s is thrilled to grow our team with the addition of Shawna Woody,” said John C. Jones. “She is a proven leader with the requisite skills to not only provide strong operational leadership, but also build solid organic relationships,” he said. “I can think of no better person to help us ensure that every child has a strong start and a stronger future than one of Toledo’s brightest homegrown stars.”

HOPE Toledo Board’s chairperson, Wendi Huntley, Esq. said, “Shawna Woody is an excellent addition to our leadership. Her background and proven record of working with kids, youth and young adults will only serve to add to our abilities to impact and enhance lives. We are thrilled to have her join our team.”

A native of Toledo, Woody initially thought her career path would be in broadcast journalism, not realizing that something a little different was in her DNA. Her mother is a retired social worker for Lucas County Children Services. Her father is a former Scott High School principal and retired School Improvement Leader for Toledo Public Schools. “Not only did my parents instill their love of community within me, but they also led by example and always modeled servant leadership with a special concern for children,” said Woody.

Woody graduated from Rogers High School, and as a Toledo EXCEL scholarship recipient, attended the University Toledo and received her bachelor’s degree in Communication. While at UT, she was a part of the Leadership UT (now Levis Leadership) program. She earned a master’s degree in Communication Studies at Bowling Green State University.

In 2004, Woody began her 17-year-long career at the Boys & Girls Clubs of Toledo as an 21st Century Afterschool Program Instructor at Spring Elementary. She became Director of Operations for the organization in 2008. During her tenure, in addition to her administration of the flagship location on Detroit Avenue, she oversaw the opening and daily operations of the three Toledo Public School based Clubs. She supervised the meal program—sponsored by Connecting Kids to Meals—as it grew from serving 4,000 meals per year to over 86,000 meals. She cultivated collaborative partnerships and new and innovative programming with the YMCA Storer Camps, Metroparks Toledo, Imagination Station, Toledo Ballet, Toledo Museum of Art, and many others, and served as the Boys & Girls Clubs of America’s Youth of the Year coordinator at the local level as well as for the state of Ohio.

In addition, she serves on the board of directors for First Tee Lake Erie, is a Center for Nonprofit Resources Minority Executive Leadership program graduate and mentor, and a member of Jack and Jill of America, Incorporated.

“From cradle to career, at each and every step in my journey, there have been countless community members and leaders who have held me up, held my hand, and even pushed me along when necessary. It is an honor to continue my life’s work and commitment to our youth right here in the city where I was born and raised,” stated Woody. “I am thrilled to be a part of the HOPE Toledo team.”

For more information contact John C. Jones at: john@hope-toledo.org or 419-509-4057.

About HOPE Toledo

HOPE Toledo is a 501(c) 3 organization and encompasses HOPE Toledo Pre-K and HOPE Toledo Promise. The mission of HOPE Toledo is to work with the Toledo community to support and ensure high-quality educational experiences for all of our youth, from preschool to post-secondary and trade school, with the goal of helping to create generational economic change for the betterment of our families and our community. Currently, 36% of the people in the TPS district are living below the poverty line and more than 80% of kids in Toledo enter kindergarten without the skills needed to learn.

This cradle to career to community approach will better serve our children and, in the long run, help our city progress towards a stronger, more educated workforce. To that end, HOPE Toledo is working with the Toledo community, through public/private partnerships and in tandem with Toledo Public Schools and Washington Local Schools, to develop a plan to deliver high-quality educational experiences for all of our youth. For more information or to donate, visit hope-toledo.org.