Stephanie Wright Byrd is no stranger to the local non-profit community. She is the Chief Executive Officer of the American Red Cross, Cincinnati- Dayton Region, appointed in May 2018. In this role she is responsible for the local operation of this 27-county, highly respected, “there when you need them” national organization.
Byrd has an extensive background in the non-profit and health care communities. As Senior Vice President for Early Learning Strategies at United Way of Greater Cincinnati (UWGC), Byrd implemented the Success By 6 kindergarten readiness strategy in the 10-county UWGC region, which included leading the $10 million Winning Beginnings Campaign to expand effective early learning strategies, and increased kindergarten readiness scores across the region.
In her role as Founding Executive Director of Cincinnati Preschool Promise, Byrd planned and implemented the start-up of this $15 million, school levy-funded preschool initiative. She spearheaded the 3-year strategy to pass the November 2016 ballot issue and was responsible for implementing the program within 9 months of passage. Byrd stood-up the organization by forming the Board of Managers, hiring the initial staff, establishing the enrollment and payment systems and overseeing back office functions provided by United Way. The program created a network of 80 preschool providers and enrolled 1100 children in the first year of operation.
Prior to joining United Way, she held executive positions at Drake Center, Health Alliance of Greater Cincinnati, HealthSpan and The Christ Hospital.
Byrd holds a Bachelor’s degree in public administration from Miami University and a Master’s in Health and Hospital Administration from Xavier University. Among her many awards, Byrd has been recognized as Cincinnatian of the Year (2017) by Mayor John Cranley, Champion for Children by 4C for Children, Outstanding Achievement Award from the Cincinnati Women’s Political Caucus and as a Career Woman of Achievement by the YWCA. She was appointed by Governors Kasich and Strickland to the Ohio Early Childhood Advisory Council. Byrd has served on several community Boards including the YWCA of Greater Cincinnati, the Wellness Community, Teach for America and the Pete Nadherny Scholarship Trust. She is a Leadership Cincinnati Class 28 alumna and is a member of the Cincinnati Chapter of the Links, Incorporated and Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated.
LOCATION: Hall of Mirrors
MENU: Bib lettuce, goat cheese, almond, hard-boiled egg, & spicy ranch and vanilla & raspberry cake- salad appetizer and dessert for all entrees.
Regular Entrée – Sautéed shrimp with jalapeno grits & sautéed spinach.
Vegetarian Entrée – Sautéed vegetables with jalapeno grits & sautéed spinach.
Salad Entrée – Shrimp with argugula, shaved fennel, orange segments, beets & champagne mustard vinaigrette.
PARKING: Our parking arrangement is with the Mabley Place Garage, located at 410 Race St, Cincinnati, OH 45202. Entrances are on 4th Street and Race Street. The rate for the garage will be $5.00 and the process will work the same way as the 84.51 Garage in that you will use a chaser ticket to receive the $5.00 rate. Chaser tickets can be picked up at meeting check-in on. We only receive a limited supply from the garage, so please take only one ticket per Thursday. The lower floors of the garage are generally filled with monthly and hotel parkers so please know in advance you will most likely need to go to the D and E floors in order to find a space. If you get lucky and find one on a lower floor, go for it! The good news is the garage is attached directly to the Hilton so just take the elevators to the second floor and enter the hotel to the left from the Carew Tower. Please contact the Rotary office with any questions.
