About Plywood People.
Plywood People is a nonprofit in Atlanta leading a community of startups doing good. We do this through community, education, and experiences that inspire people to dream.
Over the past ten years, we have worked with 1000+ startup founders, social entrepreneurs and nonprofit leaders, all working to solve social issues and make their communities a better place.
Meet the team.
Jeff Shinabarger / Founder & Executive Director
Tuere K. Butler / Director of Operations
Emily Giordano / Programs & Partnerships Manager
McClaine Wellem / Marketing Manager
LaTasha Brown / Senior Fellow
Cheyenne Joyce l Community Coordinator
Our Values.
Earn the right to be heard.
We are committed to listening first.
People often come to Plywood seeking advice or next steps on their idea, business, or nonprofit. To understand where someone is coming from is essential to being able to speak into their tensions.
We will be known by the problems we solve.
It is not our intention to be known as influencers or celebrities, but we strive that the work we do would create a good impact and solve the issues of our community and world.
Choose a life of excessive generosity.
Generosity means to freely give, expecting nothing in return. We give off the resources we have been given, our platform, our connections, and content.
Make every space better.
We walk into every space whether it be digital or physical and aim to make the experience better. From connecting two people that might not know each other, to moving the trash cans to a better spot, to consistently brewing coffee, to thinking through every minute of an event.
Promote rhythms for sustainable lifestyles.
Our team puts equal value on working hard and resting. We strive to create an environment for our team and community that promotes work-life balance. We know this looks different for everyone, so we do not have a prescribed method, but we can share what works for us.
Commit to being anti-racist as a team, as an organization, and as individuals.
Our organization commits to the ongoing work of anti-racism, from our Staff, the Board of Directors, and our Community. We are continuously creating and cultivating a place of inclusion, to truly represent and advocate for all people within the community we serve. We do not shy away from having the “hard” conversations, as we meet people where they are in order to grow in knowledge and sensitivity together. We will hold each other accountable if a misstep is made and make the necessary correction through our actions, through our work, and with our voices.
Stay up to date.
Why “Plywood People”?
Because of his work in the social entrepreneurship space, Jeff found that people were always telling him about their ideas or introducing him to someone with an idea that was ready to launch. He started referring to this group of problem solvers as "Plywood People", as plywood - often used to cover broken windows or potholes - always found itself solving a problem. He formalized this community of start-ups doing good in 2010 with the launch of Plywood People, a 501c3 organization.