Deanna Ellison, COO, has an amazing journey with MWYF to be shared. With almost 11 years under her belt, Deanna has worn lots of hats from a Program Intern to Development & Program Assistant, Elementary Program Manager, Director of Operations and recently, a promotion to Chief Operations Officer! We are unbelievably thankful for Deanna’s years of commitment to the youth we serve. Below, she gives us an inside scoop on her perspective of MWYF!
Q: What inspired you to join MWYF initially?
I was finishing my undergrad at UNF and exploring internship opportunities to fulfill my graduation requirements in 2013. I majored in Criminal Justice and Social Work and knew I always wanted to do something with kids, no matter what career path I took – MWYF stuck out for me when I researched everything they were doing for the youth in Jacksonville and I saw it as a great place to begin my career.
Q: How has MWYF evolved since you first joined?
MWYF has evolved tremendously in so many different ways since I started. Our growth has physically happened in the expansion of our second building and number of youth we have the capacity serve. However, we have grown in more ways than just physically. Our team of dedicated staff has doubled and the resources and experiences that we have the ability to provide our youth with has expanded. We have also formed new relationships with community partners who are just as passionate about the work we do, allowing the reach we can have go far beyond just the hours each day we have the youth in our programs.
Q: What are some success stories or achievements of the foundation that you find particularly rewarding?
There are many success stories of the foundation that continue to unfold each day in small and big ways. I think there is success to note that we have so many youth who not only come back to visit, but who also work for us, volunteer with us, donate to us, etc. When the organization was ‘smaller’, students always talked about how it felt like an extended family. Even though we’ve grown, we still aim to provide that sense of ‘family’ to all of our students and I think that plays a big factor into their engagement not only while they are enrolled in the program, but even into their adult lives.
Q: How do you see the impact of MWYF's programs on the lives of the students it serves?
I still remember as if it was yesterday when one of our parents re-enrolled her son in high school who had been in our program for a large part of elementary and early middle school. He had previously struggled with knowing how to process feelings of anger or frustration and would lash out when something or someone upset him. We worked with him and his mom while he was enrolled in our program and connected them with resources to use after he left the program for the time being. He was able to learn how to communicate about what upset him and recognize if something was triggering him. His mother later thanked the organization and staff for not giving up on him and for providing support when needed so that he was able to stay out of trouble and gain confidence in himself.
Q: Can you highlight the strengths and qualities that make the MWYF team unique and effective?
HEART. Every person on our team brings in their talents and skills to contribute to what we do day-to-day. However, what makes it so effective is that every one of us cares about the impact we are making for our youth. It is more than ‘just a job’ and their care goes further than just the time that the students are here with us.
Q: What does MWYF mean to you? How has working here shaped your personal and professional values?
Working here has allowed me to learn a variety of skills through the multitude of hats I have worn, all while feeding into the passion I have for making our world a better place through our students. There are many students (past and present) and coworkers (former and current) whose relationships have helped shaped me into the person I am today. Being able to see myself work through a tough situation, maintain a positive mindset amidst new challenges and growing pains, and seeing visions come to life through a new project or partnership have all been foundational experiences that have shaped my personal and professional values over the last 10.5 years. Now, I look forward to using the position I am in today to help mentor, guide and support our staff at every level with navigating any challenges they face and motivating and feeding into them in the same way they feed into our students!
