Elevate Northland has selected Judith Cockrell as its first executive director. Cockrell is a native of the Northland community of Columbus and brings with her a wealth of experience in leadership in diverse communities.

As a community-development nonprofit, Elevate Northland serves residents who are striving to build a better life. Northland’s community of strivers are those seeking to learn, grow their business, and access resources. They include New American populations, entrepreneurs and small business owners, senior citizens, and young families. With its first director in place, the organization is poised to grow quickly and expand its ability to make Northland a vibrant community and cultural destination.

“Judith brings with her a strong background of leadership and working with diverse communities,” said Elevate Northland Board Chair Alicia Ward. “We are excited about this next phase for Elevate Northland and looking forward to expanding our capacity to serve the community”.

Cockrell has held a variety of roles in the nonprofit sector, overseeing external affairs and operations both locally and nationally. Her knowledge, skills, and ability from understanding and navigating the nonprofit space and international communities will aide in her ability to lead the organization to future success.

“I grew up in the Northland area. I am a proud Columbus City Schools graduate and three-time The Ohio State University alumni,” said Cockrell. “Although I have lived and worked abroad, the Northside is my home. I know first-hand the importance of feeling welcome in a new community. Coming home, I’ve seen how the community has developed and grown and I want to be a part of that growth. I believe in Northland. “

As executive director, Cockrell will work closely with the board and staff to grow the organization to develop more services to support all Northland strivers and to find a location to be a community hub. She begins her role on October 1,2021.

About Elevate Northland

Elevate Northland was founded as a Community Development Corporation nonprofit in 2019. It provides services including a Business Academy, an online marketplace for small businesses, and a community festival with local vendors. The organization is working on finding a location to become a hub for cultural experiences that also provides services, including small business support, community education, and social services. At the same time, it will continue to serve the community by working with local partners.

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