As OVV’s Executive Administrator, Emily Johnson is the organization’s go-to fixer. Big or small, there’s no problem she can’t solve with some ingenuity and grit.
“One of my strengths is creative problem solving and working at OVV certainly tests that skill!” she says.
Emily grew up in Mason, Ohio and now lives in Kings Mills, Ohio with her husband Jacob. After earning a bachelor’s degree in English Language Arts Education from Miami University, she worked for years in customer service. In 2017, she began looking for a job related to her area of study and found an opening at Ohio Valley Voices.
“I first heard about OVV when I saw the job listing for the first position I held, Program Secretary,” she recalls. “This position was the perfect blend of my experience in customer service and education.”
Even before getting hired, Emily sensed there was something special about Ohio Valley Voices. During the interview process, she had a chance to meet with a large group of OVV community members that included teachers, administrators, parents, and volunteers. Their passion and dedication were apparent from the start and made a lasting impression.
“It was great to meet so many people that represented all the different aspects of OVV,” Emily recounts. “I had an opportunity to ask a few questions and I asked my favorite question: ‘What is the best thing about working here?’ A lot of great stories were told and a few tears were shed. I could tell how passionate everyone in the room was about this organization and I knew that I wanted to be part of it.”
Emily eagerly joined the OVV team, working at the front desk for three years before transitioning into the role of Program Assistant Administrator and eventually Executive Administrator.
“I have done a little bit of everything during my time at OVV, from helping with nap to coordinating with construction companies,” Emily says. It is precisely this thorough, hands-on knowledge of OVV that makes her well-suited to being the administrative brain behind the organization.
As Executive Administrator, Emily juggles an impressive array of responsibilities. These include working directly with the Executive Director and Board of Trustees; managing building and grounds projects, vendors, and volunteers; and helping new families with the enrollment process—to name just a few.
Despite her daunting workload, however, Emily finds ways to inject joy and creativity into everything she does—whether it’s by putting a little extra care into the design of the Weekly Program Newsletter or planning fun team-building events as a member of the Employee Engagement Committee.
Still, Emily acknowledges that a lot of thorny, unexpected problems arise over the course of a single day at OVV. When they do, she relies on her well-honed problem-solving skills to find quick solutions. Once again, creativity proves crucial, as does the support of her colleagues.
“I’ve come to learn that not every problem has an obvious or easy answer,” Emily observes. “Sometimes we need to get creative and think outside of the box to come up with the right solution. When problems require a team effort, I’m thankful for my co-workers who are also great creative problem solvers.”
Day to day, Emily isn’t often required to engage with the students of OVV. But she nevertheless cherishes the opportunity to contribute to their development from behind the scenes. Supporting OVV’s mission of teaching children how to listen and speak is her single biggest motivator.
“The most rewarding thing is seeing and hearing the students’ progress,” Emily says. “When I do get to interact with them, I’m blown away. My favorite moments are when the students remember my name and say hello to me spontaneously.”
Emily has more wonderful OVV memories than she can count, but her favorite by far is the 2017 Winter Program—her first as a team member at the organization.
“Not only was it a holiday celebration, but it was a celebration of the progress made so far that year,” she recalls. “I was moved by how hard the students worked to sing their songs, read their letters to Santa, and tell their families they loved them. I still get emotional during every Winter Program, class play, and graduation ceremony.”
For Emily, milestones like these serve as important reminders of why she and the entire OVV staff work so hard in the first place. Witnessing the kids’ remarkable achievements makes all that last-minute problem solving worthwhile—and it inspires her to face future challenges with optimism and resolve.
“I have a quote hanging on my desk that says, ‘You deserve credit for all the bad days you’ve gotten yourself through.’” Emily says. “I believe in the power of resilience, and the staff, students, and families of OVV are resilience personified. Even when there are hard days, we keep going and persevere.”