ASHLEY JAYNE' YOUNGER
FOUNDATION
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
STEPHANIE YOUNGER, Founder Director
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Stephanie grew up in Spartanburg, SC and learned the importance of giving back at an early age watching her parents giving to others. She spent over 20 years in the U.S. Army as a Human Resources Manager. Stephanie received a Masters’ in Business Administration, from the University of Phoenix, and a BA in Business from National Louis University. As an Army Soldier and now state employee in NC. Stephanie has worked in diverse settings and job markets, and brings a passion for helping those in need, especially children. Her proudest moment is becoming the mother of Ashley Younger, thru Ashley’s foundation she is determined to continue Ashley’s legacy and help others. In her spare, time she enjoys volunteering, traveling and spending time with family and friends.
STEPHANIE YOUNGER, MBA
Founder Director
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Stephanie grew up in Spartanburg, SC and learned the importance of giving back at an early age watching her parents giving to others. She spent over 20 years in the U.S. Army as a Human Resources Manager. Stephanie received a Masters’ in Business Administration, from the University of Phoenix, and a BA in Business from National Louis University. As an Army Soldier and now state employee in NC. Stephanie has worked in diverse settings and job markets, and brings a passion for helping those in need, especially children. Her proudest moment is becoming the mother of Ashley Younger, thru Ashley’s foundation she is determined to continue Ashley’s legacy and help others. In her spare, time she enjoys volunteering, traveling and spending time with family and friends.
Jawanna Crowder, CPA
Director, Financial Operations
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Jawana was raised in Mt. Holly, NC where she was very active in her community and church. She attended King’s College where she received her degree in Accounting. Jawana has over 18 years of experience in staff accounting, tax preparation, and life insurance industries. She has volunteered in hospitals, nursing homes, and with the Special Olympics, and several other nonprofit organizations. For the past 13 years, she has been part of a nonprofit organization in which she helped to establish and is currently the secretary-treasurer along with serving on the trustee board. Jawana desires to be a blessing to anyone she meets and to leave a positive impression on their lives. Becoming part of the Ashley Younger Foundation has been a personal mission of hers to continue to be as inspirational as Ashley was to all of us.
Sylvia Smith
Director, Events and Planning
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Sylvia Smith has dedicated over 30 years of service to the Federal Government. She currently serves as a Protocol Officer, and the Awards Program Manager with the Department of Defense. Sylvia started her career in 1982 through a Career Work Program offered to seniors while attending Northwestern High School in Hyattsville, Maryland.
As a Protocol Officer, she plans and orchestrates V.I.P. visits, ceremonies, meetings and special events. Ms. Smith ensures each event she plans drives diplomacy between the principal and invited guests. She is educated and experienced in precedence, titles and forms of address, etiquette, international protocol and much more. All of which influences strategic objectives that result in excellent customer relations.
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When coordinating events, Ms. Smith works closely with the Catering and Restaurant Managers. Just to name a few of the restaurants, she has orchestrated events held at McCormick and Schmidt, The Social Reform (The Caucus Room), and the Army Navy Club. All of the events are located in the Washington, D.C., Metropolitan area. Ms. Smith coordinate the contracts, prepared the invitations, seating arrangements and selected the menus to ensure there are no dietary restrictions for attendees and addressed the cultures for foreign guests for proper etiquette. Ms. Smith coordinated logistics for travel, building access, communications, advertisements, VIP parking, programs, read ahead books and schedule dress rehearsals for all individuals who are a part of the event or conferences.
As the Awards Program Manager, Ms. Smith is responsible for reviewing multiple nomination packages for accuracy, criteria and which best exhibits impact for the most deserving individual for an award. Most of the awards are signed by highly distinguished personnel, such as Agency and Intelligence Community Directors. Ms. Smith is responsible for preparing awards for approval in compliance with the Agency correspondence written instruction. Ms. Smith developed and executed a plan to process an expected increase of awards when the Agency announced early retirements. Ms. Smith provides excellent customer outreach by swiftly and accurately communicating changes in the awards program to ensure Senior Staff individuals are fully aware of the process and procedures.
Ms. Smith received several Time Off Awards, Special Act Awards and Individuals Awards for coordinating and executing, dinners and conferences for the Senior Executive Members, Office Meetings, Flag Officers and Members of Congress.
Ms. Smith completed several training programs to include Phase III -Protocol Event Management, a two-year Event Management Program from George Washington University, Meeting and Conference Planning from Stratford University in Tysons, VA, and the New Leader Program from the USDA
Graduate School.
Ms. Smith currently resides in Maryland and is a devoted daughter and caregiver to her mother, Ms. Willie K. Smith.
Antonio L. Hurley, MBA, CKM, PMP
Director, Business Operations
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Antonio Hurley is a current Department of Interior employee where he is a member of the management team at the Office of Public Health. He is a well-rounded self-starter with more than 20 years of experience in personnel, leadership, process improvement and management. He retired from the US Army where he served as an officer the in the Judge Advocate General’s Corps until 2010.
After retiring from the US Army, as an Operations Officer managing legal offices at differing Army installations throughout the world, Antonio went back to school and obtained a graduate degree with honors in business management (MBA). He also maintains certification in Knowledge Management (CKM) and Project Management (PMP).
His experience creating and monitoring performance metrics at all levels of management coupled with his expertise in hiring and retaining human resources makes him an outstanding member of the Ashley Younger Foundation board of officers. He is a strong leader and a team player who enjoys being a force in moving an organization in a positive direction.
Antonio is married to his lovely wife, Janay and they currently reside in the greater D.C. area.