A Legacy of Service. A Future of Opportunity.

Lead The Way was built on a simple belief: when young people are given opportunity, they rise.

What began as one woman’s lifelong commitment to youth advocacy has grown into a community-driven pipeline helping students across Central Ohio step into futures filled with options.

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Meet Our Founder,
Ms. Jackie Kemp

Jackie Kemp is a lifelong advocate, a leader in workforce development, and a woman whose entire career has been shaped by resilience and a deep belief in young people.

With more than 40 years of experience spanning administration, human resources, consulting, training, and youth development, Jackie has dedicated her life to empowering others, especially youth, whom she sees as a reflection of herself.

Her Resilience Story

Ms. Kemp was born and raised in Hartford, Connecticut. After 21 years of active service in the U.S. Army, she retired with full honors, but retirement was never the end of her work.

Even while serving and raising two children, Ms. Kemp was drawn to youth advocacy. She spent her free time mentoring and building support systems for young people wherever she was stationed.

Her journey began in 1988 as President of the Childcare Association of Parents in Berlin, Germany, where her dedication earned her Volunteer of the Year recognition for two consecutive years. From Fort Eustis to Mannheim to Columbia, South Carolina, Ms. Kemp’s service followed one constant thread:

Youth deserve someone willing to Lead The Way.

When she eventually made Columbus, Ohio, her home, that thread continued, and Lead The Way was born.

Building the Foundation to Lead The Way

After retiring from the Army, Jackie earned her Master’s in Labor and Human Resources from The Ohio State University, where she received the prestigious Pace Setters Award and was recognized for outstanding leadership.

Her career and community involvement reflect the same values that shape Lead The Way’s work today. Jackie’s leadership extended to organizations such as Central Ohio United Way, workforce councils, youth advisory committees, and college access initiatives, all rooted in one mission: creating pathways forward.

The Origin of Lead The Way

Lead The Way began in 2004 as a workforce development and outreach effort, created to connect young people with real opportunities in the community.

Jackie understood that too many students had talent with access, motivation without guidance, and potential without pathways.

Lead The Way was founded in 2014 as a nonprofit dedicated to holistically transforming the approach to student development. It was created to remove barriers so that students had a clear path forward toward futures that are not limited by circumstance.

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A New Chapter of Leadership:

Anthony Murphy, Chief Executive Officer

Today, Lead The Way’s legacy continues under the leadership of CEO Anthony Murphy, who proudly follows in Jackie Kemp’s footsteps while expanding the organization’s impact across Central Ohio.

Born and raised in Columbus and a graduate of Eastmoor Academy, Anthony joined Lead The Way in 2020 and quickly became a driving force behind the growth of youth workforce programming, leadership development, and community partnerships.

With more than 16 years of experience across education, nonprofit leadership, athletics, and youth development, Anthony brings both professional expertise and deep community roots to the mission.

Through his work with Cap City Preps, Anthony helped more than 300 student-athletes earn college scholarships, building relationships with universities nationwide and opening doors for young people across the region.

As a devoted father of five and longtime youth coach, Anthony leads with purpose:

To create pathways of opportunity, strengthen community partnerships, and build a lasting legacy of impact for generations to come.

Meet the team