Edwards also volunteers in the community, including serving as a mentor to students of color preparing for business school.
“I’ve got all kinds of motivation,” said Edwards, 37, of Washington Twp. “I can’t afford to fail because there are a lot of people who are depending on me every day.”
Shannon Isom, president and CEO of YWCA Dayton, nominated Edwards as a Dayton Daily News Community Gem.
Isom called Edwards “a quiet force field” who is “growing and resting and priming for what’s next.”
“She utilizes her talents to help others both locally and nationally; and she does it in every life aspect,” Isom said.
Edwards is vice president of talent communications and operations at Teach for America; owner of Sweet P’s Handcrafted Ice Pops and founder and principal consultant for New Impact Partners.
New York-based Teach for America recruits, hires and trains K-12 teachers and places them in low-income communities.
A Dayton native, Edwards graduated from Jefferson High School.
“Many of my peers didn’t go to college and I had a couple of great teachers who were very invested in my success,” Edwards said.
After graduating from Spelman College, she spent 10 years as a technology consultant and then graduated from Northwestern’s University Kellogg School of Management.
“After business school I wanted to have a bigger impact,” she said. “I learned very early that it was important to be of service to other people.”
Isom said Edwards, “is invested in the good of what really matters — helping others, collaborating and partnering with others who invest in Dayton.”
About the Author
