Today we’d like to introduce you to Joanna Lipman
Hi Joanna, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
My history with Girls on the Run began not as a founder, but as a mom seeking a holistic after-school program that would help my then 9 year old daughter cope with the barrage of new emotions, and social complexities she was newly facing as a pre-teen. It seemed that every program out there was either a competitive sport or an intense theater program – and nothing that really was about building positive community, teaching empathy, or providing a super fun non-competitive physical outlet. I was speaking with a dear friend in St. Louis, who immediately said, “i have the perfect program for you- Girls on the Run. My daughter’s been participating this last year- and it’s all about building confidence, giving the girls tools to cope with their emotions, creating a supportive environment to try new things…oh, and they learn to run! ‘ She followed that up by saying that she was SURE memphis had a Girls on the Run Chapter- and I should look into it.
I did my google search, which turned up only the main Girls on the Run International website. I sent a message to their ‘enquiry’ inbox- and quickly got a response stating that ‘they did not have a Girls on the Run council in Memphis’ at this time.
Fast forward to 2 years later (2018), when I received a call from a friend and Mentor, Paula Jacobson, who had recently attended a ‘Women In HealthCare’ symposium sponsored by Cigna and FedEx. She had just heard Molly Barker, the founder of Girls on the Run International, give the keynote speech, and was blown away by her vision for empowering young girls. Paula and 3 other female executives cornered Molly after the conference, and asked how they could bring this incredible program to Memphis. She put them in touch with the national organization, who were ready to expand into Memphis. They shared a long list of folks who had previously enquired about Girls on the Run in our area. Of the 40 people on that list, I happened to have a connection to two of these Memphis executives from other non-profit work. On that phone call, Paula emphatically stated, “We are going to bring Girls on the Run to Memphis – and you need to b a part of it.”
And so the journey began, with 4 intrepid female founders, determined to bring a high-quality social and emotional development program to schools and communities across Memphis.
The Girls on the Run application process required us complete a study of the educational landscape and demographics of Memphis and Shelby County. With over 90% Title 1 schools in Memphis, we learned that the majority of after-school programs had been cut and there were limited resources to support the implementation of new programs. There was a stark disparity in program offerings between our more affluent public, independent and private schools AND our schools located in economically disadvantaged areas. Consequently, we focused our efforts on developing relationships with our Title 1 schools whose administration and families were seeking programming that would address social and emotional development concurrently with physical health. And so, we launched our first season of Girls on the Run with 40 girls at 3 program sites – and have now served over 1500 girls at 21 different sites across Shelby and Fayette county.
This growth has required incredible dedication and hard work from our very active board and from a team of amazing volunteers who work tirelessly to sustain our organization and grow our program’s reach. As the Executive Director, I feel an immense burden to ensure that any girl who wants our program can access it. What began as a personal quest to help my daughter through the challenges of adolescence, has become a mission to build programs where girls feel safe, heard, valued, and loved- and an organization that values dedicated, passionate mentors. It is all consuming work – but it has made every aspect of my life richer.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Starting a non-profit is never a smooth road, but I do feel like we’ve been embraced by so many incredible partner organizations along the way. We launched our first program in Fall 2018. When COVID hit, we were entering only our third season – and had to halt programming for the Spring 2020 season. I remember feeling heartbroken that our girls wouldn’t have an outlet for connecting with their friends, mentors or having FUN. The uncertainty of the pandemic had us questioning the viability or EVER returning to in-person programming. If we couldn’t do that, then how would our business survive? How would we meet our budget with no program revenue and with no program metrics to share with funders?
Amazingly, our national organization pivoted to an online curriculum, virtual volunteer training, and live zoom lessons. We spent summer 2020 learning how to manage adapted programming- and then used every ounce of energy convincing our program sites to offer this to their students. When I look back now, I cannot believe we pulled it off. We completed our Fall 2020 season virtually, and transitioned back to a slightly modified in-person season in Spring 2021. Throughout this process, I was humbled and inspired by the teachers and volunteers who took 30 hours out of their semester to Zoom with their young girls- and be that positive force in their lives.
Since those uncertain days, we’ve rebuilt at a strategic, steady pace. The world has changed immensely. There is a huge need for programs like Girls on the Run, which address the mental, emotional, and physical health of young girls. We receive many requests from schools that want our program- but most do not have funds to subsidize program costs or scholarships. Our organization is determined to never turn any girl away from an inability to pay;therefore, we provide scholarships for our 70% of our girls. Our greatest challenge is raising enough funds to support the development of programs at sites in our under-served communities. As the city with the 2nd highest poverty rate, we will always need outside funding to ensure our Memphis community can benefit from our high quality program.
A continual challenge is repeating the same cycle of girl recruitment, volunteer recruitment, site recruitment, and Grant solicitations every year. Our girls get promoted to the next grade level after each season, so they can, but don’t necessarily return for another season. Volunteers are a vital resource that we are often seeking due to constant turnover for a variety of reasons (leaving town, starting a new job, teacher burnout). Additionally sites will develop scheduling conflicts, space issues, and staffing changes. Finally, grants are seldom multi-year and require more and more detailed reporting. With only two staff members, our organization really relies on significant engagement from the board to both raise funds and pitch in on business operations.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about Girls on the Run Memphis (GOTR Memphis)?
Girls on the Run Memphis provides after-school empowerment programs designed for 3rd- to 8th-grade girls, that help them navigate the challenges of adolescent and beyond. Our programs are centered around a research-based curriculum, with lessons that explore core topics relevant to 8- to 13-year-old girls, including understanding emotions, fostering friendships, expressing empathy, and standing up for ourselves. For 10 weeks, approximately 30 hours a semester, trained volunteer coaches lead our participants through lessons that build confidence, increase their level of physical activity, and learn essential life skills. They provide important mentorship for their team of participants and are a consistent, positive adult presence in their weekly lives.
While ‘run’ is in our brand name, we are far different than traditional cross country or track and field. Our program incorporates running as a tool to understand the connection between the brain and the body- and focuses on how physical activity can be an outlet for stress, increase ‘good feelings’, and build self esteem. Our girls set weekly lap goals that fit their fitness level – and are encouraged to go at their pace. This non-competitive approach allows for girls of all abilities to participate and achieve success. The program culminates in a community wide 5K celebration, where all of our program sites come together to complete 3.1 miles surrounded by their family, friends, coaches, school and site staff, and larger Memphis community. It is an amazing moment of perseverance and accomplishment for both our young participants and their families. Girls on the Run really is a holistic program- and the lessons and 5k set a foundation for a lifetime of self-respect and health living.
WHAT Should WE KNOW:
We are one of 177 independent councils under the Girls on the Run International umbrella. This means we benefit from all the incredible and robust resources developed by Girls on the Run. It’s amazing to consider that across the United States, their our thousands of other girls and coaches united in creating emotionally and physically nurturing communities where our young girls can thrive.
I am probably most proud of :
I often think of GOTR Memphis as the little engine that could, powered by the most dedicated board, persistent tiny staff, and passionate volunteers. Despite a continually challenging landscape, we’ve never lost focus on our mission: to serve girls, regardless of their circumstances, with our transformative program.
* Every year, Fall and Spring, our organization and our unbelievably dedicated volunteer mentors show up again and again to bring joy and positivity into the lives of our young participants. These mentors build deep relationships with their program site and participants, and I am continually amazed by the amount of responsibility they take on, in addition to everything going on in their normal lives.
* Our volunteers feel valued and important, and this has allowed us to create an incredible community that feels emotionally connected to our mission and to our leadership.
* I am so proud that the demographics of our program match those of our city. We’ve always said that ‘Girls on the Run is for EVERY girl’, as all girls need to tools and skills to navigate social and emotional challenges of adolescence. This also means that we want ANY girl to be able to walk through our door and access our program – regardless of her background or abilities. We have never turned a girl away for her inability to pay OR said ‘no’ to a school that wanted our program but didn’t have the budget to bring it there.
* With only 2 full time staff, we’ve managed to pull off 12 community wide 5K events, that each have engaged 100s of volunteers, school and site leaders, community runners and organizational partners.
After 7 years, we’ve now seen the full life cycle of our program and organization: we have participants who are Jr. coaches; we have parents who have started program sites; organizational partners who have deepened their funding and their employee engagement. So much of this growth is a result of leading with humility, showing gratitude, and sharing a contagious passion for the mission and vision of Girls on the Run.
What do you want our readers to know about your brand, offerings, services, etc?
Girls on the Run’s programs have been nationally recognized by the US Surgeon General as a positive intervention in improving the physical and mental well being of adolescent girls. We are so eager for more girls in the Mid-South to experience our program, and we are seeking organizational partners to help us identify and support new program sites. It’s such a simple formula for success:
– Girls on the Run provides the training, curriculum, program materials and supplies, communication templates, and season management
– The program site recruits community members or staff to lead the program and recruit the girls
If you are a:
-school, community center, park, youth ministry looking for a transformational mentorship and development program for your female students
-a corporation or organization passionate about funding causes that empower women and girls, promote positive health outcomes, or increase access to educational programs for young people
-a volunteer looking for a community and an opportunity centered on doing GOOD for our world
-an individual donor wondering if their funding makes a difference
Then PLEASE consider connecting with Girls on the Run Memphis.
What were you like growing up?
As a little kid, I was always trying to keep up with my big brother. If he was playing Star Wars and building forts, I wanted to be a part of it. I had a rich imagination- and loved reading, writing stories, and teaching school to my large cadre of stuffed animals.
I started dancing when I was 8 and found a wonderful community in that small, sweaty studio where we worked hard, laughed and felt like we were creating something beautiful. That led to an interest in theater, which I pursued in college.
I didn’t start running until i was in college. Although my Dad had been running since the 70s, I always felt defeated anytime I tried. I was breathless trying to do a mile around the track, and didn’t have the patience to learn. My freshman year hallmate wanted a running buddy, and decided that training me to run would be a fun project. I’ll never forget coming home from school that first Thanksgiving, and running my first 5K with my Dad. It was the most amazing feeling- the endorphins, the sense of accomplishment. I’ve been running ever since – and have made some of my closest friends out on the trail. It is place of freedom, of joy, and of calm. My Dad, btw is 88 years old and still runs! He is a model in perseverance and adaptability!
My parents were strong role models in working hard and serving others with dedication and humility. They both had their own careers and encouraged my brother and I to purse our passions. They instilled a strong work ethic in us both- and also an understanding that you have to make your own opportunities. They taught us about respecting your superiors and not quitting when things were hard. These lessons have stuck with me throughout my various careers.
I don’t really know when the ‘serial entrepreneur’ bug hit me, but I suppose that is a big part of my story as an adult. After graduating college, I pursued a career in theater. Surrounded by the energy in New York was intoxicating. It seemed like everyone was always trying something new, taking a risk to make things happen in their lives. Thus began the ‘I might as well’ philosophy to making my own opportunities. Hard to get roles in theater? Why not start a non-profit theater company in NYC where you can control your own destiny as an actor? This experience provided a boot camp in fundraising, budgeting, marketing, company management, and mission articulation
Within three years, I had started a handbag line, which grew out of a passion for collecting vintage handbags. I learned about design, manufacturing, balance sheets, web design, PR and marketing, sales, purchasing. For 5 years, my partner and I traveled around the US developing clients and honing the design process.
And then it was time to move to Memphis, where I threw myself into non-profit projects that were about building bridges across our community. These experiences connected me with incredible mentors, who were visionaries in creating programs that reached our most vulnerable communities. As a doer, I was eager to take on responsibilities with these organizations- especially under the guidance of powerful mentors.
One of those early mentors believed in my potential. She encouraged me to become a part of the founding team of Girls on the Run. So, the story comes full circle: following a passion, listening to your mentors, using the ‘I might as well…’ philosophy, serving with humility and dedication, and never giving up when things get hard.
Sometimes, when I am staring at my computer, I feel a bit overwhelmed by the amount of work it takes to make sure we are providing the best possible experience for our girls, families, volunteers, organizational partners, and greater Memphis community. I take a deep breath, and remember those early days in NYC – when i didn’t know enough to be afraid, or to have self doubt- but just would put in front in foot of the other, hoping to create something meaningful and lasting that would spread some good into the world.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.gotrmemphis.org
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gotrmemphis
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/gotrmemphis.
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/girls-on-the-run-memphis
- Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/@GOTRMemphis
