Imagine standing inside the top of the Soweto cooling towers in Johannesburg and free-falling more than 200 feet down. Sound scary? I would call it terrifying. Our newest Rotarian, Romanita Hairston, described this SCAD (Suspended Catch Air Device) freefall as her "most fun adventure.” That’s what I call a risk taker!Romanita moved to the Northwest from Arkansas at 14 with her five siblings. She attended high school in Tukwila before heading to the University of Washington where she earned two bachelor’s degrees in English and Sociology. From there, she attended Eastern University in Philadelphia, where she earned her MBA with a concentration in Global NGO Leadership.
Romanita spent the next 20-plus years serving non-profits. At World Vision, she held positions as Program Director and National Field Operations Director before becoming Vice President of U.S. Programs where she oversaw operations impacting 3 million beneficiaries and working alongside more than 3,000 partners.
Following her work at World Vision, Romanita joined the Murdock Charitable Trust as Program Director, where she led capacity development efforts and programs for non-profit leaders from more than 150 organizations.
In 2018, she joined Microsoft, where she serves as the Director of 21st Century Jobs, Skills and Employability. In this role, she leads a global pilot program to strengthen the workforce through partnerships with internal and external partners, customers, and end users to identify, develop, and advance opportunities that will change the face of employer ecosystems and achieve employability for everyone, while supporting Microsoft’s mission.
When I asked her why she left the world of NGO’s to move to the private sector, Romanita told me she hopes to find solutions that capitalize on the intersections between the non-profit and private sectors. She sees her work at Microsoft as a natural outgrowth of her previous work at the Murdock Charitable Trust.
Romanita is very active in her Christian faith community and has served as co-chair for the Reverend Doctor Martin Luther King Jr. Annual Prayer Breakfast since 2018. She has been a frequent presenter on Christian-based themes for so many organizations that we’d be here all day if I tried to name them all. Romanita is also a preaching pastor and small group leader at her church and has been accepted into the Ph.D. program in Divinity at Trinity College, Bristol, UK.
One look at her resume and you will understand that service is at the core of everything she does. She serves on several boards, including Global Women, the Urban Alliance, and the Renaissance Leadership Group. She was attracted to Rotary because of its emphasis on service and the opportunity for fellowship with people who are working in different areas from her.
Global thought leader, change agent, business strategist, nationally recognized speaker, cross-sector expert – all great descriptors of Romanita Hairston – I would add one more – she is the quintessential servant leader.
Romanita is married to Dwight Overstreet and together, they share five children ranging from 13 to 27. For fun, she runs half marathons.
Please join me in thanking Eu-wanda Eagans, Mark Davis, and Barbie Siefert for supporting Romanita’s nomination. Please join me in giving a warm Seattle 4 welcome to Romanita Hairston, Director, 21st Century Jobs, Skills and Employability for Microsoft.
