Natalie Woodward
Natalie Woodward is a dedicated administrative professional with extensive experience supporting nonprofit organizations and managing high-impact events. Currently serving as a Remote Administrative and Personal Assistant at Project Giving, Inc., she leverages her organizational skills, technology proficiency, and problem-solving abilities to support programs that make a tangible difference in the community. Over her career, Natalie has specialized in event coordination, fundraising, volunteer program management, and office administration, consistently bringing efficiency, reliability, and innovation to every role she undertakes.
Before her nonprofit work, Natalie spent five years teaching special education in public schools in Warner Robins, Georgia, where she emphasized respect, high expectations, and individualized support for her students. Her efforts resulted in significant improvements in student test scores, and she went above and beyond to support her students’ well-being. She also homeschooled both of her sons from first through twelfth grade and led a homeschool group of over 400 families, organizing field trips and activities that fostered learning and community engagement.
Throughout her career, Natalie has successfully organized major fundraising events, including the Retro Night Glow fundraiser, which raised over $80,000 annually, and Bunko for Babies, which raised nearly $20,000 for the Colby Center. She has built strong relationships with vendors, sponsors, and community partners to maximize event impact. A resilient and values-driven professional, Natalie has continued to pursue education and certifications—earning her master’s and bachelor’s degrees magna cum laude, becoming certified as a Virtual Administrative Assistant, and planning further training in bookkeeping, medical coding, and AI—to continually expand her skills and contribute meaningfully to her community and career.
• Virtual Administrative Assistant
• Georgia College & State University- Master's
• Graduated Magna Cum Laude with Bachelor's Degree
• Graduated Magna Cum Laude with Master's Degree
• Organized Bunko for Babies Silent Auction for the Colby Center 2024
• Organized Silent Auction for Covenant Care Adoption Agency 2022-2023
• Managed Christmas Family Adoption Program for Project Giving
• Organized Retro Night Glow fundraiser raising over $80
• Secretary at baseball field for 2 years
• Led homeschool group of over 400 families
What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to God. I broke my back in 1990 when I was young, and I've been in a wheelchair ever since. I told my mom we'd have one good cry about it, and then I said, okay, that's it, we're done with it. I said I'm gonna accomplish exactly what I want to do from the wheelchair, I might just have to do it a different way. And I did. God has shown up in every step of my life. When my husband and I were trying to adopt our first son, we prayed for more time to prepare, and the very next day the birth mother's due date was delayed 3 weeks, which just doesn't happen. When we were matched with our second son, it happened on the first call I made, and I was in the delivery room with both of my sons' birth mothers. I homeschooled both of my kids all the way from 1st to 12th grade, I taught special education for 5 years, I earned my bachelor's and master's degrees magna cum laude, and I organized fundraisers that raised tens of thousands of dollars for charity. When I look back at the person I used to be, I think, who does that? It's just like God, and I think about it every day. I've been headstrong and determined, and I've accomplished everything I set out to do, just in a different way.
What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
The best career advice I've ever received is to never give up and keep trying to overcome. This advice has guided me throughout my life, especially after I broke my back and became wheelchair-bound. I told myself I was going to accomplish exactly what I wanted to do, I might just have to do it a different way. And that's what I've done. I've never let obstacles stop me from achieving my goals, whether it was earning my degrees, teaching, homeschooling my sons, or organizing major fundraisers for charity.
What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
I would say always lead with your heart. Through your heart, you gain respect and honorability, and with that, you have a full tank to get things accomplished. With your education, stay focused. And with the nonprofit world, you just have to earn your position. You have to earn your position of respect, but once you have it from these different vendors and things like that, you're wide open, because once you get it one time, you have it forever. I built strong relationships within the community through my nonprofit work, and people knew I was honest and that I was gonna do what I said I was gonna do with the funds they gave me. Those same people helped me out for years to come with different charitable causes.
What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
The values most important to me in my work and personal life are, first and foremost, to be Christ-like. Love is second - love for others. I also value honesty, faithfulness, and integrity. These values have guided me throughout my career in teaching and nonprofit work, where I built trust and respect within the community. People knew I was honest and that I would do what I said I was going to do, and that allowed me to accomplish so much for the charitable causes I supported.