The Ryan Nece Foundation is thrilled to welcome Sydllonna Burks and Wanda Hord as our newest Student Service Club Coordinators.
Meet Sydllonna Burks
Sydllonna holds a Master of Education and brings more than 15 years of experience helping young people discover what they’re capable of, often before they fully recognize it themselves. Throughout her career, she’s used theatre, experiential learning, service, public speaking, career readiness, and a healthy dose of play to engage thousands of students and create opportunities for them to build confidence, find their voice, and step into leadership. At the heart of her work is a simple belief: When young people recognize their unique gifts and are given meaningful opportunities to use them, they begin to see themselves not only as participants in their communities, but as people capable of contributing to and changing them.
“I’m excited to join the Ryan Nece Foundation because I believe enthusiasm becomes contagious when young people recognize their gifts and discover that those gifts have a purpose beyond themselves. I’m passionate about helping students identify what they uniquely bring to the world, then creating opportunities for them to use those strengths in service of others. To me, that’s where servant leadership begins—and where young people discover just how much impact they’re capable of making.”
Meet Wanda Hord
Wanda Hord is a seasoned human resources executive with more than 20 years of experience leading HR strategy and operations across nonprofit, public sector, healthcare-related, and corporate organizations. A SHRM Certified Professional (SHRM-CP), she has held senior leadership roles focused on talent management, employee relations, organizational development, and compliance. Hord holds a Master of Business Administration from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and is recognized for her collaborative leadership, strategic problem-solving, and commitment to building strong workplace cultures that drive organizational success.
“I am excited about the opportunity to join the Ryan Nece Foundation because its mission aligns closely with the work I have found most rewarding throughout my career—helping people develop the skills and confidence to succeed. At Year Up, I prepared young adults for internships and careers by coaching them in workplace readiness, professional development, and long-term success. More recently, as a substitute teacher in Hillsborough County middle and high schools, I have gained firsthand insight into today’s students and the school environment. I am excited about the opportunity to combine these experiences with my leadership and human resources background to help students develop the leadership, character, and career readiness skills that will positively impact their futures.”
We can’t wait to see what you both accomplish with our students through the Student Service Club program during the 2026-2027 school year!
