{"id":18791,"date":"2026-03-12T15:53:49","date_gmt":"2026-03-12T15:53:49","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/wordpress.thetruthtoledo.com\/?p=18791"},"modified":"2026-03-12T16:11:11","modified_gmt":"2026-03-12T16:11:11","slug":"carrying-the-torch-lighting-her-own-path","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wordpress.thetruthtoledo.com\/index.php\/2026\/03\/12\/carrying-the-torch-lighting-her-own-path\/","title":{"rendered":"Carrying the Torch, Lighting Her Own Path"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"Jessica Ford Honored by the YWCA for Leadership in Government<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

By Asia Nail
\n<\/em>The Truth Reporter<\/em><\/p>\n

Some people are born into a legacy. Others build one. Jessica Ford<\/strong> is doing both, quietly, steadily and with the kind of leadership that feels less like a spotlight and more like a lighthouse.<\/p>\n

The YWCA of Northwest Ohio<\/strong> has named Ford its 2026 Milestones Government Honoree<\/strong>, a recognition that celebrates women whose work changes communities.<\/p>\n

For Ford, the honor still feels a little surreal.<\/p>\n

\u201cI still can\u2019t believe it,\u201d she says with a soft laugh. \u201cWhen you look at the women who have been recognized over the years, it\u2019s the highest honor for women in our community. To stand alongside them, it\u2019s really special.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ford currently serves as Lucas County Administrator<\/strong>, overseeing the day-to-day operations of county government and guiding more than 700 employees. It\u2019s a job filled with big decisions and long days, but for her, the work is deeply personal.<\/p>\n

Public service, she explains, isn\u2019t just a career choice. It\u2019s the air she grew up breathing.<\/p>\n

A Childhood Rooted in Service<\/strong><\/p>\n

Her father, Jack Ford<\/strong>, made history as Toledo\u2019s first<\/em> African American mayor, serving from 2002 to 2006. Before that, he spent years in the Ohio House of Representatives, where he eventually rose to become minority leader. Her mother, Claudia Ford<\/strong>, also devoted her life to public service, building a long career before eventually retiring from the county prosecutor\u2019s office.<\/p>\n

Jessica remembers watching both of them serve the community every single day.<\/p>\n

\u201cI grew up alongside my dad when he was campaigning and holding office,\u201d she recalls. \u201cMy mom was also a public servant. Helping people was just part of our lives. If someone needed something, we listened. We tried to help.\u201d<\/p>\n

For Ford, it felt normal.<\/p>\n

Helping someone at the grocery store. Listening when a neighbor had a problem. Talking with strangers who needed a little guidance.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was just how we lived,\u201d she says. \u201cHonestly, I don\u2019t really know anything else.\u201d<\/p>\n

But following in the footsteps of a historic mayor can be complicated. Legacies have weight. Sometimes they feel like carrying a family heirloom, something beautiful and meaningful, but delicate, too. Something you want to honor\u2026and protect.<\/p>\n

Ford has learned how to carry it while still building something of her own.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s a strong tradition of service from both my parents,\u201d she says thoughtfully. \u201cBut I\u2019m at a point now where I\u2019m making my own mark.\u201d<\/p>\n

Turning Vision into Action<\/strong><\/p>\n

And that mark is already visible across Lucas County.<\/p>\n

Under her leadership, three major public service agencies\u2014Job and Family Services, Child Support Enforcement, and OhioMeansJobs<\/strong>\u2014were brought together into a single Shared Services Building in West Toledo. The change makes it easier for residents to access services in one place instead of traveling across the county.<\/p>\n

Ford smiles when she talks about projects like that.<\/p>\n

Sometimes the work begins quietly in a conference room. A problem is discussed. Solutions are sketched out. Meetings happen. Months turn into years.<\/p>\n

Then one day, something real appears.<\/p>\n

\u201cI remember when we were first talking about these ideas,\u201d she says. \u201cAnd then years later you\u2019re standing there looking at a building that\u2019s helping thousands of people. That is incredibly rewarding.\u201d<\/p>\n

Another project she helped lead is the new Lucas County Canine Care & Control facility<\/strong>, a modern shelter designed to improve conditions for animals, staff, and visitors.<\/p>\n

It even opened under budget, a rare achievement in public construction.<\/p>\n

The Hard Decisions Behind the Work<\/strong><\/p>\n

But Jessica is quick to point out that government leadership is not always glamorous.<\/p>\n

\u201cPeople don\u2019t see the behind-the-scenes challenges,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n

Many of those challenges include making difficult choices. Choices that affect families, children and entire neighborhoods.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re dealing with emotional topics,\u201d she explains. \u201cChildren\u2019s services. Public assistance. Real people\u2019s lives.\u201d<\/p>\n

Balancing logic and compassion becomes a daily practice.<\/p>\n

Ford carries a conversation with longtime county leader Tina Skeldon Wozniak<\/strong>, who once told her she had a gift for making difficult decisions.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou have to take the emotion out and be pragmatic,\u201d Ford says. \u201cBut at the same time, you can\u2019t forget the human side. Finding a balance between the two aspects is important.\u201d<\/p>\n

Leadership, she believes, is never a solo act.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo one can do this work alone,\u201d she says. \u201cYou need people around you that you trust. People you can call and ask, \u2018Am I overthinking this?\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

Rising Through the Ranks<\/strong><\/p>\n

That sense of teamwork has helped carry her from one role to the next.<\/p>\n

Jessica began her county career as an executive assistant. From there she became a project manager, then senior project manager, and later deputy county administrator.<\/p>\n

Step by step.<\/p>\n

Promotion by promotion.<\/p>\n

Until finally she reached the role she holds today.<\/p>\n

Looking back, she credits her family with keeping her motivated.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy family kept me going,\u201d she emphasizes. \u201cAnd I could see there was a real need for talented people in government.\u201d<\/p>\n

Leading for the Next Generation<\/strong><\/p>\n

But more than anything, she says, her motivation now comes from watching the next generation grow.<\/p>\n

Ford is the mother of two daughters, one nearly grown, the other still full of childhood curiosity.<\/p>\n

Her youngest recently asked a question that made Jessica smile.<\/p>\n

\u201cShe said, \u2018Mom, tell me what you do,\u2019\u201d Ford recalls. \u201cAnd when I tried to explain it she said, \u2018So you\u2019re pretty important?\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

Jessica laughs remembering the moment.<\/p>\n

\u201cI told her, yes, but it\u2019s a team effort. Everyone\u2019s role matters.\u201d<\/p>\n

Still, she knows her mother\u2019s example carries weight.<\/p>\n

\u201cThese jobs are often dominated by men,\u201d Ford admits. \u201cSo it\u2019s important for young girls to see that women can lead too.\u201d<\/p>\n

Her daughters, she hopes, will grow up believing that leadership belongs to them just as much as anyone else.<\/p>\n

\u201cWomen can be tough,\u201d she adds. \u201cWe can make important decisions. We can be involved in critical work.\u201d<\/p>\n

The message is simple but powerful.<\/p>\n

Women belong in rooms where decisions are made.<\/p>\n

Women belong at the head of the table.<\/p>\n

Women belong in government.<\/p>\n

Ford especially hopes young girls of color take that message to heart.<\/p>\n

Honoring the Work, Continuing the Journey<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cGet engaged,\u201d she advises. \u201cAsk questions. Connect with leaders.\u201d<\/p>\n

For Ford, leadership isn\u2019t about the spotlight, it\u2019s about creating space for others to shine. Representation may not always be visible, but that doesn\u2019t mean the opportunities aren\u2019t there. \u201cSometimes you just have to keep pushing forward,\u201d she shares.<\/p>\n

As the YWCA Milestones celebration approaches, Ford admits she feels a little nervous about the attention.<\/p>\n

She can\u2019t help but smile as she explains why. \u201cI\u2019m a lot like my father,\u201d she says. \u201cHe didn\u2019t like the limelight, and honestly neither do I. I just like to do the work.\u201d<\/p>\n

Even the news of her Milestones award surprised her. When CEO Lisa McDuffie<\/strong> called late one evening, Ford thought there had been a mistake. Instead, she heard the words she never expected: she was the honoree.<\/p>\n

\u201cI said, \u2018What?\u2019\u201d she recalls. \u201cI couldn\u2019t wrap my head around it, I was the one being honored!\u201d<\/p>\n

But the truth is simple.<\/p>\n

It is<\/em> her.<\/p>\n

A woman who grew up watching public service. A woman who climbed through government one step at a time. A woman raising daughters who now see leadership through their mother\u2019s example.<\/p>\n

The torch passed from one generation to the next, but Jessica Ford isn\u2019t just carrying it. She\u2019s using it to light new paths, open doors, and inspire others to follow.<\/p>\n

Lead. Lift. Light the way.
\nAnd most of all, she proves that a leader\u2019s light is brightest when it guides the next generation.<\/p>\n

Learn more about the YWCA Milestones celebration and this year\u2019s honorees <\/em><\/strong>here<\/em><\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Jessica Ford Honored by the YWCA for Leadership in Government By Asia Nail The Truth Reporter Some people are born into a legacy. Others build one. Jessica Ford is doing both, quietly, steadily and with the kind of leadership that feels less like a spotlight and more like a lighthouse. The YWCA of Northwest Ohio […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":18793,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[21,250,17],"tags":[],"wf_post_folders":[338],"class_list":["post-18791","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-cover_story","category-local-news","category-local"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/wordpress.thetruthtoledo.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18791","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/wordpress.thetruthtoledo.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/wordpress.thetruthtoledo.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wordpress.thetruthtoledo.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wordpress.thetruthtoledo.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=18791"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/wordpress.thetruthtoledo.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18791\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":18812,"href":"https:\/\/wordpress.thetruthtoledo.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18791\/revisions\/18812"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wordpress.thetruthtoledo.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/18793"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/wordpress.thetruthtoledo.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=18791"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wordpress.thetruthtoledo.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=18791"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wordpress.thetruthtoledo.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=18791"},{"taxonomy":"wf_post_folders","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wordpress.thetruthtoledo.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/wf_post_folders?post=18791"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}