Biography

Community Coaliton

~Together, Realizing Community Wellbeing

Jason Edwards

Jason Edwards is the Director of Programs for the Community Coalition. Before joining the Community Coalition, he spent 2 years as a volunteer, developing a data-base and effective programs for Mid-North Public Safety Housing (Sub) Committee. This experience has served him well for the past several years before assuming his role as Director of Programs.

He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration and Management from the University of Phoenix. He completes his Master of Science in International Business and Project Management in the summer of 2010.

In his current role as Community Coalition Director of Programs, he has been successful at putting focus toward a community based strategy called the Crime Zone Containment and Restorative Strategy (CZC). The strategy puts emphasis on distinctive neighborhoods in the city that experience high crime as well as city/code violations. It is determined that through cooperation with city agencies and community leaders, neighborhood wellbeing can once again be restored to the affected area neighborhoods. The overall goals of the Community Coalition’s CZC program are to; A) reduce crime, B) give control to residents, C) create community bonds, and D) provide connectivity between neighborhoods and city agencies.

“Having grown up in a distressed neighborhood in Southern California, I have seen first hand the impact crime and related nuisances can have on families, children and neighborhoods as a whole. I take great care in addressing social ills – leading the way toward solutions that can be realized”

He lives in the Mid-Town neighborhood of Meridian Kessler

Victoria Pardue-Edwards

v.pardue_edwards@live.com

Victoria Pardue-Edwards is Director of Community Development and Relations for the Community Coalition. Her work in developing community leadership and in building strong and healthy communities has helped change the outlook and success of numerous neighborhoods. She is a consistent spokeswoman on these topics and has been published in both the Indianapolis Star and Change.org. Before co- founding the Community Coalition, she spent years in curriculum development for the YMCA. From 2007- 2009, she was a Community Organizer for Mid-North Public Safety Committee in Indianapolis, In. where she built partnerships amongst neighbors and city agencies and remains as a committee memeber. She received a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration and Psychology from The University of New Orleans. She is currently pursuing a Master of Arts in Not-for-Profit Management and Leadership at Walden University. She is a member on the Meridian Kessler Neighborhood Association board and also serves as a Zone Delegate.

In her current role as Director of Community Development and Relations, she works closely with Indianapolis-area, neighborhoods, community groups, nonprofit organizations, city agencies, and has been successful in co-founding the newly formed Community Coalition.

“I'm clear, dedicated and (com)passionate, drawing inspiration from my own experience along with the collective wisdom of others to invoke, unite, and reweave the threads of life into a mantle of harmonious, vibrant community we all share and shepherd.”

She lives in the Mid-Town neighborhood of Meridian Kessler.