Lunch WISE Wednesday - Asset Based Community Development: Moving from Scarcity to Abundance

Description

This collaborative series exclusively for women is being co-hosted by the Richland Area Chamber of Commerce and the Small Business Development Center at Ashland University.  Each month we'll have a time of powerful networking, a motivational "TED-type" talk as well as a chance to learn more about your community.  We look forward to having you join us!

Asset Based Community Development: Moving from Scarcity to Abundance
 
We often think of ourselves, and  our community in terms of deficits and where we see need for improvement. However, there is another way to look at ourselves, and our community, using an asset-based lens.  We can do nothing with what we don't have, we can move forward by knowing and utilizing what we do have.  Deanna will share how we can identify, support and connect our assets to achieve a better personal and professional quality of life and live more abundantly in our community.

Meet our speaker:
Deanna West-Torrence



Deanna West-Torrence (Mansfield, Ohio) is the founder and Executive Director of the North End Community Improvement Collaborative, a community development corporation,  in 2007 with a mission to improve the quality of life and economic landscape in the North End. NECIC operates several resident-focused programs, leadership, workforce and small business development initiatives all while operating two social enterprises, NECIC Staffing formerly Temp2Higher Staffing, and the NECIC Urban Farm. Deanna has served the North End and Mansfield community in several capacities including service on Mansfield City Council, Mansfield City School Board of Education, Richland County Regional Planning Commission and Richland County Children Services Board, and countless other boards and committees. Deanna attended the Univ. of Cincinnati, Southern New Hampshire Univ., Harvard Kennedy School's Executive Education Program, the Center for Creative Leadership's African American Leadership Program, Georgetown University McDonough School of Business' New Strategies Program. Deanna trains new non-profits in governance, program and fund dev., strategic planning and creating partnerships.