Woodlawn Foundation names Mashonda Taylor new executive director
The Woodlawn Foundation — an organization that serves as the lead organization of Woodlawn United, a collaboration of partners committed to breaking the cycle of poverty in the historic Woodlawn community of Birmingham, Ala. – has named Mashonda Taylor its new executive director. Taylor joined the Woodlawn Foundation in 2012 and succeeds Patricia Hoban-Moore, who has served as Interim Executive Director since original Director Sally Mackin’s departure last fall. “Mashonda Taylor exudes the value of neighborhood commitment,” said Woodlawn Foundation Board Chairman Mike Goodrich. “A true servant leader, she is absolutely the right person for the role.” Taylor, who also chairs the Diversity & Inclusion Taskforce for the Junior League of Birmingham said she is “truly humbled by the Board’s faith in me.” “Their commitment to a thriving future for Woodlawn and its residents empowers us and Woodlawn’s residents every day,” Taylor said adding, “I learned a great deal under Sally Mackin and am honored to have the opportunity to build on her legacy of leadership. My colleagues and I are proud of the progress already evident – more – here, but we also look forward to deepening the collaborative relationships that make sustainable progress possible.” A native of Birmingham, Taylor received her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Loyola University and her Master of Arts in Organizational Leadership from Gonzaga University. In addition to her role at Woodlawn, she is active in several area organizations and initiatives. She is a member of the Executive Committee of Jones Valley Teaching Farm and was a member of the inaugural Alabama Leadership Initiative class.
Panel maps out how Birmingham will become a Smart City
Birmingham’s Innovation Week is a celebration of the disruptive ideas and ventures evolving in the city’s technology community. In line with the city’s growing tech ecosystem are various initiatives to transform Birmingham into a Smart City using data and technology to make it more livable and sustainable. These plans were outlined Tuesday during an Innovation Week session called Think Next: How Birmingham’s Becoming a Smart City. Touching on various initiatives underway that helped the city win a Readiness Challenge Grant from the Smart Cities Council earlier this year, speakers mapped out projects using digital technology to help improve public safety, energy and transportation. Projects in the pipeline include an open data portal, smart street lighting, community Wi-Fi and a bus rapid transit. The City of Birmingham’s crime reduction initiative, Operation Step Up, also is included. Resources from the readiness grant will accelerate the efforts. The session featured a panel of individuals who were instrumental in the Smart Cities Council grant process and who are closely involved in ongoing innovation efforts: Brandon Johnson, City of Birmingham Director of Community Engagement; John Smola, Alabama Power Director of Business Transformation and Administration, and Paula Alvarez Pino, University of Alabama at Birmingham Program Director of Sustainable Smart Cities Research. The conversation was moderated by Mashonda Taylor, chief Community Relations officer for the Woodlawn Foundation. The panel provided updates on these projects, and touched on potential opportunities for further collaboration and expansion in the future. Check out how the grant is accelerating Birmingham’s Smart City efforts on the session’s live stream below. Think Next: How Birmingham is Becoming a Smart City from Alabama NewsCenter on Vimeo.
