Woodbury Heart & Soul Seeks Stories from Woodbury Residents

Announcing: New Program Coordinator

Woodbury Heart & Soul is looking for residents to tell their stories about what matters most to them, their hopes, concerns, and ideas for the future of Woodbury under the leadership of our new Program Coordinator, Kaitlin Rattigan.

The continued collection of our community’s stories will help create a comprehensive action plan for Woodbury’s future and strengthen the cultural, social, and economic vibrancy of our City. Seeking out hidden and missing voices and focusing on what matters most keeps the community at the center of Woodbury Heart & Soul’s mission. We are looking for people to both share their stories, as well as people who would like to help us gather stories from their fellow residents, neighbors, and peers.

Woodbury Heart & Soul is excited to introduce Kaitlin Rattigan, who has accepted the position of Program Coordinator. Kaitlin (she/her) moved to Woodbury with her partner and two children in August of 2020 because of the incredible racial diversity of the City and the public schools, while having a small town community feel. Kaitlin brings 14 years of community organizing experience to the role. As an organizer, Kaitlin has worked to address various societal injustices ranging from LGBTQIA+ advocacy, to racial justice work, to gender equity, to most recently labor organizing for worker’s rights.

Kaitlin has 9 years experience working with nonprofits, particularly startup organizations and programs. As the first Community Builder for Take The Lead, Kaitlin built online communities and programs where women could connect and support one another to gain power and equity in the workforce. As the first Director of Student Working Professionals, Kaitlin spearheaded strategy, daily operations, marketing, communications, and program management for the South Jersey startup organization that helps students from various backgrounds, including those from the juvenile justice system and those with developmental disabilities, evolve into socially conscious leaders. And as the Program Manager of State Adolescent Services at AccessMatters, Kaitlin oversees a youth serving sexual health counseling and education program with a particular focus on supporting LGBTQIA+ youth.

Since moving to Woodbury, Kaitlin immediately became involved in community groups and activities such as the West End Memorial Parent Teacher Organization and the Strategic Plan Steering Committee for the Woodbury City Public School District. Kaitlin has a Master’s degree in International Peace and Conflict Resolution, focusing on gender equity and nonprofit management. Kaitlin says she is “excited to continue this important community work,” because she “believes the City of Woodbury should be a place where all people feel included, heard, represented, and welcome.”

Woodbury Heart & Soul is a catalyst for positive change by actively seeking the collective wisdom of all residents, including those whose voices are often missing. As part of the Transform South Jersey initiative, our team will lead Woodbury through the established Community Heart & Soul model. Through this process, we will identify partners, build relationships, determine options for the future, and work together to develop projects in Woodbury that our community cares about for years to come. Ultimately, we will establish a locally controlled community endowment fund to support the strategies that result from the Woodbury Heart & Soul process.

If you are interested and excited by this unique opportunity to share your story and/or gather stories from others in Woodbury, please reach out to Kaitlin Rattigan at 856-812-4027 or [email protected].