Since her matriculation at Forest Ridge, Josalyn Alston Ford ’99 has always been passionate about serving her community.

Whether volunteering at her local place of worship, spearheading volunteer committees, or serving on the Board of Directors for small nonprofits - her desire to pour into her community is alive.

Currently, she has the honor of serving as Chief Advancement Officer at the Urban League of Metropolitan Seattle, the second-oldest civil rights organization in the state of Washington. In her role, she leads the work of shaping ULMS’s philosophy regarding philanthropy, marketing, and communications that better positions the mission-driven efforts of the organization. An advocate for the marginalized, Josalyn is passionate about making sure equity remains a mainstay when providing space for all voices so that they may not only be heard but that they are also treated with the dignity they deserve.

Before working for the Urban League, Josalyn was the Vice President of Development at Hopelink, a nonprofit serving 50,000 people by helping them gain the skills and knowledge they need to exit poverty for good.

Josalyn attended college at Clark Atlanta University and earned her Master of Public Administration at Seattle University. She is married to Cemal Ford, and both are continuing to learn the new world of empty nesting as their daughter Camille settles into her sophomore year on the campus of Howard University.