September – october 2023
September Birthdays
3 Natasha Aponte
5 Monika Davis
5 Otto Edwards
5 Taquasia Hollingsworth
6 Elaine Colna
8 Judy Peterson
10 Kaitlyn Conkel
11 Lenice Aiken
12 Joan Ward
13 Regina McCoy
14 Tamika Brown
14 Kia Woodward
16 Jose Torres
17 Diana Johnson
18 Jerome Burger
20 Ashley Love
21 Beulah Robinson
23 Michelle Chilton
26 Amanda Bausher
October Birthdays
1 CeCe Harris
2 Gabriella Johnson
8 Portia Li
12 Jeanne Ballard
13 Linda Damron
13 Jennifer Hannah
16 Jamez Murray-Earliwine
16 Jennifer Roundtree
21 Tamara Jamison
21 Daniel Kinney
29 Caitlin Miville
29 Joslynn Bridges
September Anniversaries
1 YEAR
Camryn Belcher
Janine Blackwell
Tera Carr-Martin
Adiel Cathey
Aidon Chaffins
Artemis Cheeseman
Justin Morrow
Jenna Swartz
Jeana Weatherspoon
5 YEARS
Regina McCoy
10 YEARS
Vanessa Green
Sierra Derenburger
October Anniversaries
1 YEAR
Amanda Bausher
Danielle Boyd
Jennifer Hewston
Gabriella Johnson
Kenyonna Lindsey
Kynalyn Waderker
10 YEARS
Linda Cox
15 YEARS
Betsy Kile
20 YEARS
Portia Li
Through July and August, we’ve welcomed the following staff to the team. We’re so thrilled you’re here!
- Nathaniel Adjei – Family Support Specialist
- Bianca Barton – Government Grants Administrator
- Reggie Jarrett – Custodial Technician
- Juliet Lewis – Family Support Specialist
- Stephanie Parrish-Wilkes – Workforce Development Specialist
- Morgan Patterson – Program Assistant
- Shawn Whitby- Kitchen Production Assistant
- Makale Bangoura- Family Support Specialist
- Lanai Cason-Hines – Program Assistant
- Victoria Caudy – Program Assistant
- Christine Cockley – Executive Assistant to President & CEO
- Lynette David – Intake Specialist
- Madison Derenburger – Program Assistant
- Jhanel McCray – Family Support Specialist
- Danielle Mitial – Program Assistant
- Joanna Poindexter – Program Assistant
- Tina Ricks – Kitchen Production Assistant
- Tanya Salyers – Director of Advocacy
At the YWCA Family Center, Dana Ross and Taquasia Hollingsworth are transitioning from family support specialists to family support supervisors. Congratulations and thank you for your commitment to the families we serve!
Team Announcements + Updates
- HR Reminders
- Advocacy Updates
- Leadership for Social Change Applications
- YWCA Columbus at the African American Male Wellness Walk
Ohio State University vs. Western Kentucky Ticket Drawing
Human Resources will have a drawing for tickets to the Ohio State vs. Western Kentucky football game (Saturday, Sept. 16, 2023). Each game ticket will also come with two vouchers: one $10 concession credit and one complimentary soft drink. The drawing will be held on Monday, Sept. 11, 2023. If you’d like to participate in the drawing, please respond to Deborah Locklear-Oglesby’s 9/1 email by 9 a.m. on Friday, Sep. 8.
401k Automatic Enrollment
The Secure Act 2.0 was recently passed in Congress, which requires automatic enrollment on any new 401k plans moving forward. To adhere to these guidelines, starting July 1, 2023, any employee eligible to contribute to our 401k will be notified via email that an automatic enrollment of 1% of their paycheck will go into the account unless they decline or increase their contributions. The email notification will outline when the contributions begin and how to decline or increase your contribution.
Please contact HR with any questions.
YWCA Columbus is Hiring!
There are several positions open, including directors of donor engagement, the YWCA Family Center, and Women’s Residency, and as a reminder, employees who refer candidates for vacant roles are eligible for a $500 bonus (if the candidate is hired and upon completion of their probationary period). For additional information, employees can refer to ywcacolumbus.org/jobs or Indeed.
- In a win for democracy and the rights of all Ohioans, voters emphatically voted down Issue 1. Thank you for voting no and standing up against the proposal’s special interest backers!
- Next, we will have the chance to vote on the issue of abortion access this November, thanks to a high-energy, grassroots effort across Ohio to gather thousands of signatures. We must take advantage of our opportunity to show up at the polls this fall!
- Important Upcoming Dates:
- Oct. 10: Deadline to register to vote for the November election
- Oct. 11 Early voting begins & absentee ballots will be available
- Nov. 7: Election Day
Applications for the Kathy Duffy Espy Leadership for Social Change 2024 cohort will go live on Oct. 19! Staff are welcome and encouraged to apply. If you or someone you know is interested, learn more here.
We were proud to represent YWCA Columbus at the 20th African American Male Wellness Walk in August! Black men, on average, die 12 years earlier than their white counterparts. For 20 years, the African American Wellness Agency has worked to save Black men’s lives, close the health gap, and help Black men live longer from preventable diseases. Thanks to those who joined us or attended to support other community organizations!
Save the Date
- YWCA Columbus Employee & Family Outing
- Voter Trivia Night
- Groundbreaking at the YWCA Family Center
- Activists and Agitators
Join us from 12:30 – 3:30 pm. on Sunday, Sept. 10, 2023, for the annual YWCA Columbus Employee and Family Outing. We’ll be at Goodale Park Shelter House this year. Please remember to submit your RSVP to Deborah Locklear-Oglesby by Sept. 6 (if you haven’t already)!
Join YWCA Columbus, the League of Women Voters, and the Ohio Women’s Alliance for a fun night of voting trivia on Tuesday, Sept. 19, which is also National Voter Registration Day! We will have food, drinks, and prizes at Addella’s On Oak (1485 Oak St.) from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Don’t forget to reserve your spot!
YWCA Columbus, along with several partners and donors, will break ground on the new play spaces and other renovations being completed at the YWCA Family Center on Tuesday, Oct. 10 at 4:30 p.m. There will be treats and activities for the residents and staff on-site. Stay tuned for more details and opportunities to volunteer!
In case you missed it, we announced that Ibram X. Kendi will be joining us at Activists and Agitators on Thursday, Oct. 19 to speak about antiracism, education, and his recent work to make history accessible to all ages. If you are interested in volunteering at this year’s event, please reach out to Alexa Molitor to learn more. You can find more information about the event at ywcacolumbus.org/aanda.
Jessica Wichtman-Will
CeCe Harris
YWCA Columbus In the News
YWCA Columbus, along with Bridging Our Communities Together for Success, ACHIEVE Professional Development Center, and the City of Columbus, offered a free 12-week institute for high school students interested in earning their Child Development Associate (CDA) credential. The students who participated were recognized and celebrated on Aug. 9 and Aug. 14 at YWCA Columbus.
Tanya Salyers joined the team this month as our first-ever director of advocacy! She will oversee the agency’s advocacy program and public policy work in areas concerning racial and gender equality, and systemic intersections of poverty, housing, education, community safety, and health.
YWCA Columbus responded to the tragic death of Ta’Kiya Young, joining others in our community to call for justice for her family, as well as accountability for the police officers involved.
As we gear up for Activists and Agitators, we shared some behind-the-scenes footage from this week’s video shoot with our partner, Bonfire Red, who will help illustrate how education has historically been used both as a tool of oppression and liberation for the marginalized.