Board of Directors

 

Our Mission

  • To help the Winton Woods School District raise student achievement
  • To recognize and support student scholars and their teachers, and
  • To impact positively the images and economies of the Communities in the district

Rick Johnson

President

My spouse, Stephanie, and I have been residents of Forest Park for 17 years. Three of our daughters (Breanna, Jasmine, and Miranda) graduated from WW having been members of the band and cheerleading squads, as well as engaged in other extracurricular organizations. The first two are presently students at Miami (Ohio) U. and Wright State U.; Miranda will start at UC this Fall. Our fourth daughter (Brittany) will start WW high school this Fall.

I have a Bachelor’s Degree in Advertising (1991) and a Master’s Degree in Human Resources Management/Personnel Administration, General (1996), from Troy (Alabama) University. I am an active member of Quinn Chapel AME Church in Forest Park where I serve as a Steward and Sunday School Superintendent. I have over 20 years of experience as an HR Professional at OPW (Ohio Pattern Works), a subsidiary of Dover Company

Mary Oden

Vice President

I have been a Forest Park resident since June 1978. My son, Brandon, and two grandsons, Enzo and Luca, attended Winton Woods Elementary schools. I served at one time as an after-school Math and Science Program Tutor in the WW schools. I remain engaged in many activities that provide support to the students, families, and teachers.

I received a Bachelor’s (RN) Degree in Nursing from the Univ. of Arkansas in 1970, an MS in Nursing from UC in 1978, and Ph. D. in Interdisciplinary Studies, Health and Education in 2004 from Union Institute and University. I am now retired from my position as Associate Medical Center Director for Education/Designated Learning Officer/Designated Education Officer at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio, where I was employed from 1972 to 2015.

Brandon H. Wiers

Treasurer

I am a former member of the WW Board of Education (2010-12), a former mentor of high school students and tutor of primary school students, and co-founder and Board member of Winton Woods Achievement Boosters, Inc. (2015-Present). Additionally, I served on the Forest Park City Council for nine years (1976-85), the last six years as mayor.

I graduated with a B.A. from Calvin U. in Grand Rapids, Michigan and a Ph. D. from the Univ. of Minnesota in 1964. I retired from Procter and Gamble Research & Development after 32 years, first as a bench chemist, later as an R&D Section manager, then as a university grant program manager. My wife, Patti, and I are parents of three biological children who graduated from district schools (‘79, ‘81, ‘82) plus two guardian-ees who also graduated from district schools (‘81 and ‘89).

Richard Bedford

At-Large Member

I am a 1994 WW graduate. I’ve lived in the community since I was in the 3rd grade, aside from going to college in Columbus, Ohio, where I earned my Associates degree in Computer Science and a Bachelor’s in Business Administration at DeVry U. I have a daughter who graduated from WW in 2019 and a son who will graduate from WW next Spring.

Over the last 17 years I have owned and operated several Forest Park businesses in which I have mentored and/or employed several WW students and graduates. One is Custom Computer Factory; another is Park Place Restaurant at 1185 Kemper Meadow Drive. This restaurant/lounge also serves as an event center, e.g., the “Forgotten Legends Brunch,” May 1, 2022, that recognized the 16 plaintiffs who initiated the process of creating the Collaborative Agreement between the Black United Front and the Cincinnati Police Department, a precedent-setting law enforcement reform structure that included community members.

Sandra Dees

At-Large Member

After moving to the district in 1999 from Dayton, Ohio, the Dees family has had eight WW graduates who’ve gone on to various college for further education: Wilberforce, Wright State U., Cincinnati State Technical & Community College, Ohio State U., and Bowling Green State U. I have been involved personally with the WW Student Achievement/Technical Advisory Committee and the WW Education Foundation.

I earned an M.Ed. in 2008 from Indiana Wesleyan U. and an Ed. D. in 2018 from Northcentral U. I have worked at Cincinnati State Technical & Community College for over twenty years in the Student Support Services Program helping first-generation, low-income students graduate and transfer to four-year universities. My husband Kerry, and Elder in the Abundant Life Apostolic Church, earned an AB degree from Wright State U. and is owner of Kerry’s Car Detail Business.

Whitney Hodges

At-Large Member

I’m a 2007 WW High School and Diamond Oaks Graduate, born and raised in Cincinnati, living in Forest Park. My hobbies include reading, doing IT projects, playing games, riding my motorcycle, and spending time with my family.

I worked five years after graduation from WW as a Time Warner Cable Customer Service Representative but left because of limited career opportunities. At Total Quality Logistics, where I’ve been employed since leaving Time Warner, my title is Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) Support Specialist. I am a member of the Business Integration team. I recently passed my Professional Scrum Master I (PSM I) Certification and am training to become a Scrum Master under my team’s current Scrum Master. Scrum is the Agile development process that allows teams to deliver usable software periodically throughout the life of a project, evolving with new requirements as the project proceeds.

Fatima Sy

At-Large Member

I am connected to the Winton Woods School District because all my children attended Winton Woods from preschool through high school. My daughter started in WW but now attends Northwest High School, because of better bus service. My two sons, Ibrahima and Samba, graduated from Winton Woods in the Classes of 2020 and 2021, respectively, both with Honors Diplomas. They are presently attending the University of Dayton. Ibrahima is majoring in Mechanical Engineering; Samba is majoring in Management Information Systems.

I am a Registered Nurse and I graduated in 2010 with an Associate Degree then with a Bachelor’s Degree of Science in Nursing from Ohio University, Athens, Ohio. I have been working at the UC Medical Center as a registered nurse since 2012. Prior to that, I worked at Children’s Hospital. My husband, Assane, and I both immigrated from Senegal and are now United States citizens.