After many years away from her native Springfield, Jan Sederholm returned in 2004 and went to work as executive director of Habitat for Humanity of Springfield.
"It is such a gift to be back in my hometown and to help in providing safe, decent housing for those in need in our community," she says.
Sederholm's awareness of nonprofits began early in her career when she worked for KY3 straight out of college and was involved with marketing campaigns for many of the area's charitable organizations. She then spent a few years as a media buyer at Williams Moi Advertising Agency in Dallas before coming back to the Ozarks as executive director of the American Cancer Society.
Her work then took her to Path Management Industries and Preservation Capital Management in Kansas City, and then to Atria Healthcare, where she handled marketing for the company's Colorado and Arizona regions.
Since returning to her hometown, she has worked on behalf of area families who build their homes alongside Habitat staff and volunteers. It's a position she finds rewarding.
"I'm fortunate to work in a job where every day I see the living, breathing results of our mission," she said. "In my work with Habitat, I've played one small part in 451 people breaking out of the grip of generational poverty for good. They now have lives filled with hope, promise and possibility."
Her civic commitments include working with United Way of the Ozarks, Female Leaders in Philanthropy, the Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce's Nonprofit Roundtable, and the Housing Collaborative of Community Partnership of the Ozarks.
Sederholm operates by the adage that a leader is a definer of reality.
"Our reality in this economy is that the last thing business leaders should do is cling too long to strategies that aren't achieving priority goals," she says. "Ours is a culture that respects those who press forward when faced with adversity, but I don't think that means staying the course."
As the economy has faltered,
Sederholm expanded Habitat's focus by initiating Project ReHabitat, which
rehabilitates and builds homes throughout center-city Springfield.
Another program, Tools for Life, seeks to proactively help Habitat clients keep their homes through education, financial counseling, emergency assistance and mentoring.
"Our family partners' greatest challenge was not achieving homeownership, but staying in their homes," Sederholm says. "I am proud to say of the 451 residents currently living in Habitat-built homes, not one family or individual has encountered bankruptcy or foreclosure during this downturn."
Sederholm believes in encouraging responsibility - the core of Habitat.
"I've been fortunate to see so many Habitat partners grown in esteem and confidence, overcome dependencies, repair their lives, pursue education, grow in their careers and, in turn, foster responsibility in, and help build a future for, their children."[[In-content Ad]]
Previous: Stacey SchultzNext: Kim SiskReturn to Profiles
