Launching Lockbourne Greene

How I produced a high-impact public opening for a 60-unit housing and early-learning community

In 2024, Woda Cooper Companies and Healthy Homes—in partnership with Nationwide Children’s Hospital’s Healthy Neighborhoods Healthy Families initiative—opened Lockbourne Greene, a 60-unit affordable housing community with an onsite early learning center on Columbus’ South Side.

This was not just another housing development. It was a city-level investment in families, health, and opportunity, supported by the City of Columbus, Franklin County, Ohio Housing Finance Agency, Bank of America, and multiple nonprofit and financial partners.

To mark the moment, Woda Cooper hosted a formal grand opening and ribbon-cutting with state, county, and city leadership, financial partners, healthcare leaders, and community organizations in attendance.

I was responsible for every aspect of planning and execution.

My Role & Responsibilities

I managed the event from concept through teardown, including:

Invitations & Attendance
- Built and managed the full invite list for:
  - City and county officials
  - State legislators
  - Financial partners
  - Healthcare and nonprofit leadership
  - Woda Cooper executives
- Managed RSVPs, confirmations, and guest flow
Vendor & Site Coordination
- Selected and coordinated:
  - Staging, chairs, and podiums
  - Sound and microphones
  - Ribbon-cutting materials
  - Event signage
  - Photography
- Oversaw arrival, setup, timing, and breakdown
Program & Speaker Flow
- Speaking order & flow
- Timing of the ribbon-cutting
- Transitions between speakers and spaces

I also prepared speaker notes so every voice on stage told a consistent story about housing, health, and opportunity.

Why This Project Mattered

This opening was about more than cutting a ribbon; it was about showing how housing, health, and education intersect in real communities.

With leaders from government, healthcare, finance, and nonprofit sectors in one place, every detail—from staging and timing to messaging and movement—had to be right.

By owning every piece of the event—invites, RSVPs, vendors, speaker prep, run-of-show, setup, and cleanup—I ensured the focus stayed on the people the project was built to serve.

The result was a polished, meaningful public moment that honored both the investment and the families who will call Lockbourne Greene home.

And I’m proud to have been the one behind the scenes making it happen.