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Hannah Tukesbrey Kilbride Baumgartel, MPA Omicron Gamma - Ohio University
Senior Program Manager, Small Business and Community Programs, JobsOhio
Which of the Delta Zeta shared values resonates with you the most? Empowerment
Can you share a brief 5-7 sentence biography about yourself, highlight key moments in your career that have shaped who you are today?
After college, I moved back to my hometown, Urbana, Ohio, and started my first job as an administrative assistant for the local economic development corporation. This is where I found my passion for economic and workforce development. I discovered there was more in Urbana than I even realized. I learned that there were a handful of large manufacturers right in our backyard like Honda, Bundy Baking and KTH. Manufacturers that often employed my friends’ parents but had no idea the level of impact these companies had across the world.
In my next role, I created a workforce development program in southeast Ohio to provide career pathways to local employers for disadvantaged students. While southeast Ohio is very different, there are still many employers in the region that go unnoticed by young graduates, and often students feel like they have no choice but to work at the local dollar store. I created a program that introduced K-12 students to the employers in their region and allowed them to get job experience while still in school. The program still exists today and has impacted more than 1,000 students.
In April 2021, I joined JobsOhio, the state’s economic development corporation. In my time here, I have had the privilege of building out a piece of the 2.0 strategy, which launched in 2019 and was created to deepen economic development programs throughout the state. JobsOhio 2.0 added programs and grants for underrepresented small businesses and communities in need of funding and investment to revitalize. I have been instrumental in delivering on this strategy. As JobsOhio prepares to launch its 3.0 strategy, I can proudly say that our new programs have invested in more than 560 small businesses and 66 small to mid-sized communities across Ohio. Although the work has not been easy, it has been rewarding. I have witnessed first-hand when under-invested communities are empowered, they catalyze the investment by creating and retaining jobs creating a lasting impact. This is the kind of difference I set out to make when I became interested in economic development, creating opportunities for Ohioans is my passion.
Who has been an invaluable mentor for your professional career? What did you learn from this friendship?
One of my most invaluable mentors in my professional career is Candice Brackeen, the founder and CEO of the Lightship Foundation. I have learned more about myself by working with Candice, listening to her and learning what makes a good leader. Candice has been a serial entrepreneur for more than 15 years and now leads a mission driven life where she gives back to founders like her by providing education and connections through free programming.
She leads her team with such grace that I look up to, and she made me realize I already have the most important leadership skill: empathy. I hope I will be at least half the leader she is one day.
How did you discover your passion and what opportunities have helped shape your curiosity for what you do?
I found my passion by leaning into my strengths and what makes me happy which is using my empathy to help people and fix problems. The opportunities that helped shape my curiosity include all of the internships I was a part of in college and traveling the world. Each experience has provided me the opportunity to learn more about myself and others growing as an individual.
Looking ahead in your career, how do you envision continuing to incorporate generosity into your leadership style and professional endeavors?
I look forward to continuing to grow in my career and growing my team. As I do that, I plan on fostering a culture of collaboration, building trust, sharing time, listening to learn and facilitating opportunities for others, mainly leading with empathy.
How has your community helped you professionally? Is there a friend (or Delta Zeta sister) that has been behind you every step of the way on your career journey?
My community is my husband, my siblings, my friends, my colleagues, and, of course, my Delta Zeta sisters. My community has helped me believe in myself when I didn’t and was my biggest cheerleader every step of the way. My Delta Zeta sisters are still my best friends to this day, and while we don’t live down the hall from one another anymore, they are always just a phone call away. One Delta Zeta sister that I have leaned on like my sister is Kylie Evans. She is my sounding board, my shining light and my best friend. We push each other to always be the best versions of ourselves.
What does empowerment mean to you, and how have you worked to empower others in your career or personal life?
Empowerment, to me, is providing others with the necessary trust and tools to give them autonomy in their roles or lives. Two years ago, my sister, who is 10 years younger than me and was 17 at the time, moved in with my husband and I. We truly had to empower her to lead her own life, and I did that by providing her with encouragement, trust and tools to be confident in her decisions. She has now started her career as a car saleswoman and plans to move out soon. I couldn’t be prouder of the woman she is becoming.
What does it mean to you to create an environment of belonging for others, and how do you carry that lesson into your personal and professional life?
Creating an environment of belonging is the most important ingredient to a successful team or relationship. The first step in creating this environment is to listen. It allows a person to learn about those around them and to have empathy for others. Relationships only move at the speed of trust, and to make others feel like they belong is to understanding where they are coming from. I carry this lesson into both my personal and professional life, as I have mentioned leading with empathy and listening.