Kiwanis, Rotaract and Community Foundation join Rotary to Focus on What Birmingham Got Right

Rotary, Kiwanis, Rotaract and Community Foundation leaders with Mayor Woodfin, Christian Motley and Ruth Ann Moss

This week, the Rotary Club of Birmingham (RCB) welcomed the Kiwanis Club of Birmingham, Rotaract Club of Birmingham, and Community Foundation of Greater Birmingham (CFGB) for an unprecedented joint meeting focused on Birmingham’s investment in early childhood development. The meeting featured Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin, Results for America Senior VP & Chief Program Officer Christian Motley, and Small Magic Executive Director Ruth Ann Moss discussing “Do What Works: What Birmingham Got Right, and What Comes Next.”

The conversation explored how partnerships among local government, nonprofits, philanthropy and civic institutions can support proven initiatives with significant impact. Motley discussed Birmingham’s inclusion in Do What Works: Smarter Government, Better Results, a book highlighting government leaders who use data and evidence to improve outcomes.

Mayor Woodfin, who authored a chapter in the book focused on Birmingham’s efforts, discussed the city’s investment in early childhood development and the importance of preparing children for success before they enter kindergarten. He highlighted the role of public-private partnerships in expanding programs and ensuring children have the foundation to become college-ready, career-ready, and life-ready.

Moss shared how Small Magic’s Birmingham Talks program helps families and childcare centers increase interactive conversations with young children. Over its first seven years, the program served 7,188 children. She shared new initiatives, including Expect More, a partnership with UAB; Ready Saturdays at Birmingham Public Library; and Birmingham Reads, developed with Birmingham City Schools to support early reading skills.

Motley emphasized the importance of using evidence to guide investments, measuring results, and adapting successful programs to local needs. He explained that Birmingham’s successful partnership with Small Magic provides a proven approach for other communities to improve outcomes.

High school students from Birmingham City Schools (BCS) attended the meeting following mock interviews provided by the four organizations’ volunteers, in partnership with Birmingham Promise. The initiative, which provides internships and scholarships for BCS students, was modeled on similar programs in Kalamazoo, MI, and Buffalo, NY, which saw benefits including improved graduation rates, reduced achievement gaps, and lower juvenile crime.

The discussion explored how leaders can continue to learn from other communities while tailoring programs to local needs and expanding initiatives that demonstrate measurable impact. Panelists challenged Rotarians, Kiwanians, Rotaractors and CFGB stakeholders to consdier what becomes possible when leaders align around a shared goal and imagine what’s next for Birmingham.

Panelist Bios

Christian Motley is the Senior Vice President and Chief Program Officer at Results for America. Previously, Christian served as Vice President, Partnerships & Community Impact, and Senior Advisor for the Opportunity Accelerator.

Prior to joining RFA, he served as the Kentucky Network Director for Unite Us, where he oversaw statewide expansion of health and social service network partners using innovative technology to track outcomes, identify gaps and support system change. Previously, Christian served as the director of policy and partnerships at StriveTogether. There he oversaw a $7 million portfolio to support a national cohort of place-based cradle to career coalitions, with a focus on facilitating urban/rural collaborations and using data and evidence to change policy across federal, state, and local government.

Christian has served in the administrations of both Kentucky Governor Steve Beshear and President Barack Obama, and as government relations director for the Kentucky Education Association. A resident of Lexington, Kentucky, Christian serves as board member for the Kentucky Center for Economic Policy, Prichard Committee for Academic Excellence and Lextran, just up the road from his beloved alma mater, Berea College.

Ruth Ann Moss is the Executive Director of Small Magic, a nonprofit that works to ensure children under five are ready for kindergarten and a life of opportunity. She began her career as a Teach For America corps member in Mississippi and later served as one of the highest-performing coaches within the national organization. Under her leadership, Small Magic has grown to the largest implementor of early literacy edtech in the nation and been recognized for the quality and impact of its programming. Ruth Ann holds a B.A. from Mississippi College and an M.Ed. from Samford University. She also serves on the board of Prosper, advises Moxi, and is a member of Leadership Birmingham.

Randall L. Woodfin was sworn in as the 30th mayor of Birmingham, Alabama on Nov. 28, 2017 and was recently elected to serve a third term. A native of Birmingham and graduate of Cumberland School of Law, Mayor Woodfin is an attorney and former president of the Birmingham Board of Education.

Throughout his career, Mayor Woodfin has served in multiple roles within the City of Birmingham, giving him a comprehensive understanding of municipal government and the needs of its residents. As a three-term mayor, he continues to bring renewed vision, dedication and energy to a city where all residents have the opportunity to work, play and grow to their fullest potential.

His dedication to his hometown and to others developed when he was 15 while working as a bagger at a supermarket in Birmingham. It was at the supermarket where Mayor Woodfin learned the importance of “Putting People First,” a concept he carried on to Morehouse College, then to law school and finally into his public service career. Today, that slogan is at the core of his administration. But those words are more than a slogan. They are a strategy.

In order to make Birmingham a symbol for progress, Mayor Woodfin is working to bring improvements to economic development; strength education and career opportunities for students; empower women and minority small-business owners; bolster neighborhood revitalization in the city’s 99 neighborhoods; and lower crime.

Birmingham has always been a city for builders, from steel mills to startups. Mayor Woodfin's goal is to uphold the Magic City's legacy, making Birmingham a magnet for the next generation of purpose-driven builders who embrace innovation.

Mayor Woodfin’s love for his hometown is matched by his love of family – his wife Kendra, sons Aubrey and Mason and daughters Love and Joy.