G2W-VA had our first major fundraiser on April 13! Check out our new News & Events page to see how it went!
Women with a passion for mentoring
Our board currently consists of 7 women with various lived experiences and diverse backgrounds. Together, we have over 50 years of experience working with various populations. Our expertise lies in teaching, social work, counselling, and veterans service.
Board Chair
Lynn Anderson
Lynn is the President and Co-founder of G2W, establishing our organization after seeing a need for a mentoring program for at-risk girls. She keeps our organization strategized and supports our board and mentors through our mentor trainings. Originally from Eau Claire, Wisconsin, she is a veteran of the United States Air Force and currently serves as the Chief of Social Work Services at the VA Medical Center. She has a Bachelor’s Degree in Criminal Justice and a Master's degree in Social Work.
Vice Chair
Teresa Woodroof
Teresa is the Vice Chair of G2W and a mentor in several circles; she is the brain behind much of the circle curriculum and supports our mentors. Originally from Tennessee, Teresa has a background in teaching and librarianship. Working with young women has been a dream of hers since she was in college. From personal experience and throughout her career in education, she has witnessed girls struggle with life's challenges. Part of her dream is to support them as they discover themselves and embrace their personal power. As one of the founding members, she is honored to work with such amazing women who share this passion for supporting young women.
Secretary
Minh Jurgens
Minh is the secretary of G2W, responsible for keeping us organized in all the ways we need to be; she has also been a mentor for the past five years! She is currently a teacher at Bailey Bridge MS, where she has taught social studies for 22 years. She remembers coming to the United States from Vietnam at the age of nine and being very timid. "Everything was new to me. It would have been helpful if I had a group like G2W to support what I was going through. This is one of the reasons I was interested in being a G2W mentor: I enjoy showing support to these young girls and empowering them to believe in themselves so they will become strong women."
Southside Coordinator
Frenchi Jones
Frenchi is our Southside Coordinator! She is a master's level Nationally Certified Counselor, trained in Clinical Mental Health Counselling and School Counselling. She also holds certifications as a Mental Health First Aid Instructor for youth and adults. She earned a bachelor's in communications from Georgia Southern University and a master's in Counseling and Human Services from the University of Colorado. She has a passion for youth, mental health, social justice, and advocacy work in every community she has lived and worked within. She considers herself a champion for individual and community-driven integrated systems and cultural change!
Community Outreach/Networking
Jo Downey
Jo is one of our Community Outreach and Networking leads and mentors! She specializes in building community partnerships and increasing our organizational visibility. Serving and empowering girls and women is not new to Jo; she has been involved in women’s civic organizations for the last 30 years, serving and raising money for women’s causes. Originally from North Carolina, she received an undergraduate and graduate degree from East Carolina University and is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) in private practice in NC and VA. She comes with vast experiences in the helping field from school counseling, EAPs, organizational development, behavioral health consulting/training, and private practice. Her passion for connecting and empowering others to find their own personal power has been a driving force in supporting our mentees in G2W-VA!
Community Outreach/Networking
Rhonda Griffin
Rhonda is one of our Community Outreach and Networking leads, specializing in building community partnerships and increasing our organizational visibility. Before attending VCU School of Social Work to jumpstart her social work career, she spent the first twenty years of her life acting in New York and Los Angeles. She enjoys being a mom and would like to see every young girl being empowered.
Social Media/Marketing
Cedricka Alexander
Cedricka is one of our Social Media and Marketing leads. She is responsible for creating many of our promotional materials, including our website! She has a BSW from VCU. Her career passion involves being an advocate for marginalized communities, especially as it relates to promoting equity in all social spheres and empowering people to be self-advocates. She has been a mentor with G2W for over two years and has found joy in validating the experiences of young girls and sharing her own stories that they can listen to and learn from. "In all the ways I hope they learn from me, I have learned so much by being a mentor to them."
Social Media/Marketing
Kayla Riddick
Kayla is one of our Social Media and Marketing leads and also a mentor. She manages our social media and is our Field Instructor for our VCU School of Social Work student interns! Kayla is a Clinical Social Worker, currently working in substance abuse. She has been involved with G2W for a few years and absolutely loves connecting with young people. She has a Bachelor's and Master's degree in Clinical Social Work from VCU.
Intern
Louise Taylor
Louise is one of our student interns this year! She attends Brightpoint College, majoring in Human Services with a pre-Social Work specialization. Upon graduation, she will transfer to Virginia State.
Intern
Caroline Chester
Caroline is one of our student interns this year! She attends Virginia Commonwealth University, majoring in Social Work. She has career aspirations to work with adolescents, which is why she is excited to be interning with G2W-VA this year! She enjoys being in circles as a mentor, possessing a sense of compassion and empathy that is valuable to our mentees.
Intern
Ariel Lader
Ariel is one of our student interns this year! She attends Virginia Commonwealth University, majoring in Social Work. Upon graduating in May 2024, Ariel intends to become certified as a Qualified Mental Health Professional for Children and Adolescents (QMHP-C), obtain an MSW, and pursue clinical licensure (LCSW). Her goal is to work in private clinical practice with adolescent girls, helping them overcome emotional and social challenges and fulfill their true potential.