NBC 6 is celebrating Women’s History Month by highlighting Remarkable Women in our community.
SHREVEPORT, La. (KTAL/KMSS) – Lynn Stevens has made it her life’s work to improve the lives of others, while overcoming the challenges of her own disability.
“What we need in this community, right now, is for people to get involved,” said Stevens. “We have too many people saying ‘look at all the problems’ and they’re not willing to step up and help people.”
Stevens is the Director of Workforce Development at Goodwill Industries of North Louisiana. Those who work with her say she sets the standard of excellence.
“I always thought of myself as a workaholic. I would come in early, leave late,” said Darlene Robinson, Open Placement Manager, Goodwill. “She leaves later and it’s just like ‘wow, she’s never going to go home.’ It inspires me to do my best, to put all I can into it.”
Stevens previously assisted homeless families, serving as the Chief Administrative Officer of Providence House in Shreveport. She became passionate about helping the working poor during her time as the Chief Operating Officer of United Way of Northwest Louisiana. Before working in the non-profit sector, Stevens was a high-level executive with PepsiCo.
“The way I got into non-profits was through volunteering,” Stevens shared.
The turning point for her was in 1998, when the remnants of Tropical Storm Charley caused deadly flooding in Del Rio, Texas. Her husband was an airman at the time and their family was stationed at Laughlin Air Force Base.
“Paychecks don’t matter. Lives matter,” Stevens explained. “I saw lots of dead bodies and it’s a border town so a lot of people were never claimed. I saw people who were stored in meat trucks, people fighting over water and just the whole dynamic changed for me.”
Several years before that, she faced another pivotal moment. She was diagnosed with Muscular Dystrophy at the age of 22.
“I now look back and think it was the best day of my life,” Stevens reflected. “I’ve swum with stingrays. I’ve whitewater rafted through the Grand Canyon, been to Africa. If there’s something to do I’m going to try it because tomorrow I might not get out of bed and that’s the reality of it.”
Everyday she advocates for people with disabilities and people with disadvantages. She takes every advantage to enjoy her family and her friends.
“She networks with everyone. I was at a luncheon the other day and everyone was telling me oh Lynn is wonderful, Lynn is wonderful,” Robinson shared. “And I was like you’re telling me something I already know, because she is wonderful.”
“I went from very business professional to non-profit,” Stevens shared. “Most people think if you work for a non-profit you’re poor. I think I’m very rich because I get to help people every day.”
