Fayetteville’s 7hills Homeless Center hires Jessica Andrews as new CEO

7hills Homeless Center in Fayetteville has hired Jessica Andrews as its new CEO. Andrews was formerly the first executive director of Community Venture Foundation, also in Fayetteville.

As the leader of CVF, a nonprofit tied to Startup Junkie Consulting, Andrews built programs and oversaw advising efforts supporting the startup community in Northwest Arkansas.

At 7hills, Andrews will lead efforts supporting the homeless community and homelessness prevention throughout Northwest Arkansas.

“[Andrews] is passionate about serving the homeless and believes that dignity is a key element in providing for and assisting this population. She is committed to pursuing innovative and evidence-based programming and strategies to achieve the mission of 7hills” a press release from the nonprofit said.

Before CVF, Andrews was an inaugural American Dream Fellow with the Cisneros Center for New Americans, where she worked on immigrant integration strategies in NWA as the small business lead.

She holds a master’s degree in public service and an MBA from the University of Arkansas. In 2016, she was recognized as a member of the Northwest Arkansas Business Journal’s Fast 15 class.

“Jessica is a passionate advocate who brings energy and high organizational skills to the position. We are delighted to have her heading up our professional team,” 7hills board chair Lynn Carver said in the release.

Other leadership additions include Steven Mills, who joined 7hills in May as the chief operating officer.

His responsibilities include operational oversight of 7hills’ Day Center, Veteran Services Program and the Walker Family Residential Community. He also oversees the financial and human resource aspects of the organization.

Mills previously served six years in the U.S. Army Reserves.  He spent one year with the 484th Joint Movement Control Battalion deployed in Afghanistan, according to the press release.

“As a veteran, Steven is uniquely qualified to provide guidance and oversight in how we serve 7hill’s veteran clients,” Jo Kaye Bandy, 7hills board member, said in the release.

NEW BOARD MEMBERS
In addition to Andrews and Mills, 7hills has added David Mee, chief financial officer and executive vice president of finance for J.B. Hunt Transport Services, and Will Roth, senior account executive with IMG/Razorback Sports Properties, to its board of directors.

Mee, a CPA, has been CFO since 2009. Before that, he was senior tax manager with KPMG.

“Northwest Arkansas is obviously a wonderful place to live,” Mee said. “Unfortunately, our growth and prosperity doesn’t always reach everyone the same way, I am honored to be asked and serve on the board of 7hills so that I might be able to help them meet the changing and unique characteristics of the homeless and impoverished of Northwest Arkansas.”

Roth is a Harrison native and has been involved in several community initiatives, including Fayetteville Future Fund, a nonprofit that brings young professionals together to give back to the community.

“It is an honor to join the board of 7hills with its mission to end homelessness,” Roth said in the release. “Northwest Arkansas is an incredible place to live with so much to offer. But we cannot get too cozy in our own individual comforts and forget that we have members of our local community who need a helping hand to get their lives back on track. 7Hills is firmly committed to completing this mission.”

Roth was also a member of the Business Journal’s 2016 Fast 15 class.