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We take pride in our Young Professionals Board (YP Board) being one of the best in Oklahoma County. Not only are they talented, resourceful, and committed to helping us in our mission to end child abuse, they are devoted to excellence and growth.

Our YP Board consists of young adult volunteers ages 23 – 40. Being a part of this board provides members with opportunities to grow their own personal network and encourages them to support CARE through fundraising and raising awareness for our mission to end child abuse.

We recently elected our 2023-24 YP Governance Team to lead the board. This leadership team is a perfect example of why the YP Board is such an important part of CARE. We sat down with each member to discuss their drive for CARE and learn a little more about them as individuals!

Katie Dawson, President:

Q: Why the CARE Center?

A: “With my background in child and family therapy, I have always been passionate about the services the CARE Center provides abuse survivors and their families as I have seen the need for these services firsthand. Since my professional transition from child therapy to recruiting sales, I have enjoyed continuing this work through serving on the YP Board for the last two years.“

Q: What makes you a great fit for President of the YP board?

A: “Becoming a new mom this last year has only deepened my desire to spread awareness of child abuse and offer education on ways to prevent abuse in our community. Throughout my tenure on the board, I have seen our board grow in a variety of areas including membership, event attendance and overall funds raised for the CARE Center. I am committed to helping the board continue to grow and make an even more significant impact on our community.“

Chandy Cornelius, Vice President:

Q: What makes you a great fit for the Vice President role?

A: “I think that I’m a reliable and creative person who has good knowledge of events and social opportunities! I’m also on the networking committee of the Infant Crisis Services board! I was also a big sister in the Big Brothers Big Sisters of Oklahoma program for over two years before my little sister aged out!

Franklin Jones, Treasurer:

Q: What makes you a great fit to be Treasurer?

A: “As the treasurer, I get to play a pivotal role in safeguarding the organization’s financial well-being, ensuring that resources are allocated effectively to support its mission. This role not only allows me to utilize my experience but also grants me the satisfaction of seeing my financial management strategies directly contribute to positive outcomes for a cause I deeply believe in.”

 Q: What experience qualifies you for this leadership role and how do you plan on adding value to the team?

A: “I was the regional coordinator of a company where I oversaw supply chain operations and negotiated price points for my company to stay within budget as we expanded across the country. At my current job, I track and oversee our daily operations and budgets. I work through financial constraints, negotiate business development deals and hold monthly meetings with shareholders to discuss how we are trending towards our financial targets.”

Katherine Jackson, Secretary:

Q: What made you want to join the governance team this year?

A: “In both my professional career and volunteer work, I plan fundraising events for nonprofits. This provides me the experience needed to handle and maintain contracts with venues and vendors for The CARE Center’s YP Board. As we all know, event planning is no small feat. I love to alleviate stress and receive a delegation of these responsibilities to help assist with the flow of structure for our annual SINGO Night event.”

Q: What is your past experience in leadership roles?

A: “I have been both a Co-Chair and Chair of Art with a Heart and am now rolling onto the TriDelta Children’s Fund Board. I am a member of the Junior League of Oklahoma City, serving on the Courtesy & Recognition Committee, and Community Impact Events Committee. I am also entering another year of service on the Make-A-Wish Young Advisors Council. I am an active member of the Association of Fundraising Professionals of Oklahoma, within the capacity of being the Donor Relations Coordinator at the Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation.”

We would like to welcome our 2023-24 YP Board Governance team! From collaborations to events, we’re looking forward to fostering an environment that is ideal for the board to increase their network and grow as young professionals. With teamwork, we will be able to provide Oklahoma County with resources and education needed to put an end to child abuse.