Bio.
Mrs. Gina Watts is an advocate, author, speaker, educator, and leader with a heart for service. Since 2001, Mrs. Watts has served as a leader for more than 20 boards and developed three nonprofit organizations. Since 2010, she has toured local schools and youth groups, meeting with youth to help them identify their personal and professional goals. Her experience as a college instructor, global career development facilitator, organizational leader, strategist, and member of the John Maxwell Team have more than prepared her to assist individuals enhance their leadership skills and/or those of their teams and organizations.
For 10 years, Mrs. Watts served as a full-time faculty member in Human Development and Family Studies with an administrative appointment to create and oversee the Student Success Center and career development programming at Penn State Fayette, the Eberly Campus. While employed as a college instructor, she began her formal coaching, training, and speaking career, joining the John Maxwell Team in December 2012.
Just a short 3 years later, Mrs. Watts was commissioned by the John Maxwell Team to lead the development of their new youth leadership curriculum. In partnership with Christian evangelist, bestselling author, Nick Vujicic, Gina developed YouthMAX Plus, an international youth leadership curriculum exclusively presented by John Maxwell Team members. Through this curriculum, John Maxwell Team members connect with youth through the world in meaningful ways to help them identify, pursue, and fulfill their purpose in their lives.
In 2017, Mrs. Watts more formally joined the John Maxwell Team as the first Global Director and Faculty for the Youth and Family Division. During that same year, Mrs. Watts led the launch of the John Maxwell Team Global Youth Initiative. Through their service, the John Maxwell Team has hosted more than 1 million youth at free leadership development events in more than 60 countries around the world. In addition to her oversight of GYI, she also led the development of the John Maxwell Team Youth Certification and assisted with the launch of Dr. Deborah Tillman’s Parent and Family Engagement Certification, both of which launched in 2019.
In addition to her service to the John Maxwell Team, Mrs. Watts also serves as the Executive Director for Vineyard Community Center and Director of the Missions Ministry at Vineyard Columbus. In this role, Gina leads 20 smaller ministries that serve as the outreach arm of the church. Ministries including the Vineyard Early Childhood Center, K-12 Afterschool Program, Free Health Clinics, Sports and Fitness programs, Men’s and Women’s Prison Ministry, Homeless Ministry, Food Pantries, Immigration Counseling Services, and more fall under Gina’s daily leadership. Gina partners with more than 60 staff and dozens of organizations to share the love of Christ and serve the greater Columbus, Ohio area.
In 2015, Gina in partnership with her mother Janet Jones and her extended family launched the Lillian’s Legacy Scholarship Fund at the Community Foundation of Fayette County. The fund was developed in honor of her grandmother Lillian Capozza and provides scholarships to support Fayette County students pursuing post-secondary education. Since its inception, the fund has awarded 5 scholarships.
Gina is a proven leader with a passion to help others stretch beyond their current situation to reach their goals and live out their dreams. As a servant-leader in the home, Gina is a wife to Eric and mother to Christian and Eric Jr. Those two roles bring her the most joy.
To access a more complete vitae, please visit Mrs. Watts' LinkedIn profile.
Encouragement. Education. Events
Mrs. Gina Watts is a servant leader originally from Uniontown, Pennsylvania and living in Columbus, Ohio. Through Encouragement, Education, and Events, Gina helps individuals, teams and organizations release their passion while pursuing their purpose.
Encouragement.
Gina provides daily doses of encouragement through her various social media sites and blog. Her bi-monthly commentary, featured in the Uniontown Herald Standard also inspires readers. In addition to writing, Mrs. Watts provides individual and group coaching sessions, helping her clients stretch beyond their current situation to reach their goals and live out their dreams.
Education.
Through workshops, coaching sessions, trainings, youth development programs, and keynote speaking engagements, Mrs. Watts connects individuals, teams, and organizations ignite their passion and discover their purpose.
YouthMAX and YouthMAX Plus – connecting youth to their personal and professional goals
Career Development Facilitator Certification training
and more
Events.
With nearly 20 years of event planning experience, Mrs. Watts leads of team of skilled staff to create and host events that inspire and motivate leaders to grow.
Listen to Gina's most recent keynote address: Mt. Rose Baptist Church MLK Program - January 18, 2015
Watch Gina perform her original piece, "I Am A Mother" at the 2015 Listen To Your Mother Pittsburgh event - May 2015
Watch Gina's Convocation address at Penn State Fayette, The Eberly Campus - August 2014