Care to Learn appoints first COO

A nine-year employee of Springfield nonprofit Care to Learn is being promoted to chief operating officer.

Jhasmine Watson is scheduled to take on the role July 1, according to a news release. Watson is the first COO in Care to Learn's history, said Andrea Harp, the nonprofit's director of marketing.

“Jhasmine has been a driving force behind Care to Learn’s growth and success,” Care to Learn CEO Krystal Simon said in the release. “Under her leadership, Care to Learn has increased its average spending for health, hunger and hygiene needs by 225%. She’s led initiatives that increased the number of students with access to Care to Learn, increased Closet Project capacity and increased staffing to accommodate this growth."

Watson currently serves as Care to Learn's director of operations and administration. She joined the organization in May 2016. As COO, she’ll oversee operational strategies and administrative functions.

"I am so grateful to have served at Care to Learn for nine years, but I've also worked with some wonderful people who have helped both the organization and me learn and thrive. I look forward to continuing our important work to support even more children as we continue to grow," Watson said in the release.

Care to Learn has a 2025 operating budget of $6.8 million, according to past reporting. The nonprofit partners with over 45 school districts in Missouri to aid students with health, hunger and hygiene needs.