Partners for Change, formerly Covington Partners, a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing wrap-around support services such as mentoring, family engagement and out-of-school time programming to Northern Kentucky students in every stage of their educational journey, announced Neena LaMendola-Volk as its chief operating officer (COO).
LaMendola-Volk joins Partners for Change with an extensive background in the for-profit sector, where she held key roles in operations, marketing, communications, and program management. As COO, she will be responsible for overseeing daily operations, developing and executing strategic initiatives, and ensuring the organization’s mission is effectively carried out.
LaMendola-Volk will play a vital role as Partners for Change scales its programming to serve students in the Erlanger/Elsmere, Ludlow, and Newport Independent School Districts, in addition to its current focus on the Covington Independent Public School District.
Most recently, LaMendola-Volk served as Chief of Staff at Nerdy, a curated platform for live online learning, where she provided strategic support to the consumer business division. Her career spans numerous leadership roles, including Senior Director of Program & Operations at companies like Everything But the House, dotloop/Zillow, Duke Energy, and Citi, where she honed her expertise in operations, program management, and strategic communications.
In 2019, she founded her own consulting firm, where she supported national organizations such as The Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, Right to Start, and the Home Builders Association, helping them build scalable systems to support sustainable growth.
LaMendola-Volk is no stranger to Partners for Change’s mission, having served on the organization’s Board of Directors for several years, including a term as Board Chair in 2014. A champion for community empowerment, she also co-founded Whiskey and Wishes, a Northern Kentucky-based 501(c)(3) collective giving circle dedicated to supporting underserved communities. A native of Northern Kentucky, she is an alumna of Thomas More University and a graduate of Leadership Northern Kentucky.
“We are thrilled to welcome Neena LaMendola-Volk to Partners for Change,” said Phyllis Yeager, Board Chair of Partners for Change. “Her operational expertise and commitment to our mission will be invaluable as we expand our programs across new districts. Neena’s leadership will enable us to support even more students and drive meaningful change across our community.”
Partners for Change is committed to breaking down barriers to education and success for students and families in Northern Kentucky’s river cities. With LaMendola-Volk’s leadership, the organization is poised to deepen its impact and continue empowering students on their educational journeys.
Partners for Change