Goodwill Announces Laura Walker As Vice President of Mission Services

AKRON, Ohio — Nov. 8, 2021 — Goodwill Industries serving Summit, Portage, Medina, Ashland and Richland Counties is pleased to announce Laura Walker has joined the agency as the vice president, mission services. Walker is responsible for the strategic planning of Goodwill’s mission services including external and internal workforce development (human resources) and radio reading as well as safety, security and IT. She is a member of the executive management team and will serve as the agency’s Compliance Officer.

“We are very pleased to welcome Laura to our executive team! She brings two decades of mission services and retail experience as well as a dozen years of leadership experience to Goodwill,” said Nancy Ellis McClenaghan, president & CEO, Goodwill Industries serving Summit, Portage, Medina, Ashland and Richland Counties. “She has a strong track record of leading strategic mission services initiatives as well as fostering organizational and program growth. We’re looking forward to Laura’s continued success as she leads and directs Goodwill’s mission services team.”

Prior to joining Goodwill, Walker served as the director of employment services for Hattie Larlham. She gained sixteen years of experience with that agency in various capacities and in providing services to individuals with disabilities. In addition, she has been a highly-rated CARF International program surveyor since 2015.

Walker holds a bachelor’s degree in biology from The University of Akron and is a Certified Employment Support Specialist. She resides with her family in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio.

About Goodwill Industries Serving Summit, Portage, Medina, Ashland & Richland Counties
The Goodwill Industries of Akron, Ohio, Inc., is a not-for-profit corporation that helps individuals prepare for, find and retain employment. Operating in the five-county region of Summit, Portage, Medina, Ashland & Richland, the agency was established in 1927. It is a private, independent organization, operating as an affiliate member of Goodwill Industries International. Goodwill helps to directly strengthen the region’s workforce through its employment programs and indirectly through the net proceeds from its retail outlets and industrial services division. For more information about GIA, visit www.goodwillakron.org or call 800-989-8428.

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Contact:
Jennifer Bako
(330) 786-2519
jbako@goodwillakron.org