We're thrilled to welcome Bevin Bowersmith as the new Executive Director of Girls on the Run Northeast Ohio. As we embark on this exciting new chapter, we wanted to give everyone a chance to get to know the person who'll be steering our team toward new horizons.

Bevin brings more than 15 years of experience in the nonprofit sector, and was recognized in Crain's Cleveland 40 Under 40 in 2022.

As a middle schooler, Bevin found her experiences participating in track to be life changing and understands the value of both finding a place to belong and the importance of physical activity for all young girls. With a strong belief in the importance of supporting women and girls, Bevin is a perfect fit for the mission and vision of Girls on the Run Northeast Ohio.

We recently sat down with Bevin for a quick get-to-know-you session and here's what we learned:

Q: We're all about girl empowerment through life lessons taught at an early age. If you could give advice to your younger self (age 8-14), what would it be?

A: If I could give advice to my younger self, I’d remind her that she’s braver and stronger than she thinks. As a shy girl, I needed the courage to try new things and to go after my goals without fear. I’d tell her, “You can do it, and you will.”

Q: If you could have coffee with any historical figure connected to our mission, who would it be and what would you ask them?

A: I would have coffee with Amelia Earhart. I’ve been captivated by her story since doing a report on her in elementary school. I would ask her about courage and bravery, and how she found the strength to chase bold dreams in the face of doubt. Her fearless spirit aligns with Girls on the Run’s mission to inspire confidence and empower girls to boldly pursue their goals.

Q: What's your favorite local spot in our community and why?

A: You can often find me at Psycle, it’s my favorite place to help keep both my body and mind strong. My family also does a weekly restaurant night, and AJ's Urban Grill is one of our go-to places for good food and time together. For fun family outings, we love visiting the Greater Cleveland Aquarium, it’s a great place to explore and learn together.

Q: If you could solve one challenge in our field overnight, what would it be and why is it important to you personally?

A: If I could solve one challenge overnight, it would be self-esteem issues in young girls. I know firsthand how deeply it can affect the way you see yourself and the dreams you believe you're capable of. Every girl deserves to grow up feeling confident in who she is, proud of what her body can do, and unafraid to take up space in the world. Helping girls believe in themselves from the start isn’t just important, it’s life-changing. When a girl knows her worth, there’s no limit to what she can achieve.

We couldn't agree more!!

We hope you'll join us in welcoming Bevin to the GOTRNEO team! We're lucky to have her and look forwad to working together to continue building confidence in girls throughout Northeast Ohio.