Letesha Nelson, the CEO and Executive Director of the Goodman Community Center, was our speaker this week. She joined the Goodman Center, succeeding fellow Rotarian Becky Steinhoff, in January 2021. Ms. Nelson has a long history of non-profit work, having held leadership positions with the Girl Scouts of America for many years. She brings to her work an obvious passion and a joy in service to others.
She finds motivation in her belief that it takes one person to change someone or even a community for the better, a concept captured by her personal motto, “Be the One.” She has been and intends to continue to be someone who can improve other people’s lives and direct them to a rewarding future. At the beginning of her career at the Girl Scouts, when she had self-doubts, her father (who himself worked to help people in inner-city Milwaukee) told her that “You are born to do it.” It’s clear that he was right.
After fifteen years with the Scouts, she left for a job at Idlewild Baptist Church in Memphis, where she helped parents and children deal with adverse events in their life. These were affluent people. But they needed help. She learned that the right kind of help can be important for all people of whatever level of income.
As the new head of the Goodman Community Center, she is learning what Goodman is all about: “Strengthening Lives and Securing Futures.” During the worst of the pandemic, Goodman stayed open to serve families with meals from the food pantry, providing school not only part time but all-day, with counselling about college and other career paths. They are now facilitating vaccinations in the community, which will help restore normality. The Center is already slowly and cautiously returning to a post-pandemic operation. They are looking to increase their connections to technical education for those not considering college.
Becky Steinhoff is obviously a tough act to follow. But there is every indication that Letesha Nelson has the necessary drive and the pleasure in serving others. She is “born to do it” and “she is the one.” She is worthy of the great Rotarians Bob and Irwin Goodman.
Our thanks to Letesha Nelson for her presentation this week and to Rich Leffler for preparing this review article. If you missed our meeting this week, you can watch it here: https://youtu.be/AT8bJ7iozdg.
Rotary Club of Madison, Wisconsin 