Gilchrist named new director of Inspiring Minds Youngstown

Staff report

YOUNGSTOWN

Inspiring Minds Youngstown has named city resident Stephanie Gilchrist as the full-time executive director of the local youth organization.

Gilchrist, who takes over effective immediately, is a longtime community collaborator and Inspiring Minds partner.

She replaces Lindsay Benton, who served as interim director during the search for a permanent full-time director. Benton has accepted a position as assistant dance professor for Alabama State University.

Gilchrist has a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Youngstown State University, and she completed an executive master’s degree of business administration program through Strayer University’s Jack Welch Management Institute.

She was most recently the project coordinator at the Youngstown Business Incubator for Tech Block Building 5 and the director of the Women in Entrepreneurship Program.

In addition, Gilchrist, alongside her husband, own Ryan’s Chair Barber and Beauty Salon, 2935 Glenwood Ave., which has been in the community for more than 20 years.

Inspiring Minds is a nonprofit outreach organization that works with underrepresented youths in the community and aims to engage, inspire and empower students through education and exposure to new experiences.

Deryck Toles, founder and chief executive officer, started the organization in Warren in 2006. It branched out to Youngstown in 2015.