Most seniors wish to age in place. Chanda Wingo, Director of the Franklin County Office on Aging (FCOA), is committed to make this a reality for Franklin County’s 165,000+ seniors. She ensures that they have the resources to live independently and comfortably in their own homes.
Through FCOA’s programming, information, referral services, and accessible programs, Chanda supports seniors who need that most – thereby, helping them age in place with dignity and safety. She says, “Public service is about ensuring that our residents have access to resources. It should be a birthright to age place in your home.” This belief drives her work, making a difference in the lives of countless seniors in Franklin County.
For Chanda, this work is more than just a professional obligation – it is a goal that she finds deeply fulfilling.
Contribution of the ‘Village’
Chanda’s journey has always been rooted in community and service. As she was the eldest of three children and the only girl, she learned early on the importance of the “village” that her family built around them after moving to Columbus, Ohio. In Columbus, Chanda’s parents had no immediate relatives around, so they relied on connections formed through youth programs and camps. Chanda points out that this “village” has shaped her into the leader she is today. When she turned 16, she returned to her roots with the aim of giving back to her community.
Over the years, Chanda has been influenced by many people, especially her grandmother who was passionate about education. “A lot of my drive was instilled in me by my grandmother,” she shares.
As one of the three granddaughters, she often heard her grandmother say, “Get your education so you can get a desk to put your feet up on.” When she was a child, Chanda couldn’t understand her statement. “I was too young then, but, over time, I understood what she really meant was to get your education to have a career that will support myself, my family, and my dreams,” she says. “She didn’t want me to be forced to take jobs that didn’t serve me.”
In addition to her grandmother, the “Amazing” Tei Street, a top motivational speaker, has also made a meaningful impact on Chanda’s life. At the age of 20, she became a volunteer for Teen Institute – focused on teen drug and alcohol prevention – a program she formerly participated in as a high school student. “Through her [Tei Street] mentorship I learned how to be a true servant leader and developed a passion for servitude,” Chanda points out. She says that in her heart, she always knew she was a servant leader – both personally and professionally.
Stepping Into Director’s Role
FCOA supports older adults, dependent adults, and their family members by providing resources that ensure safe and healthy environments and a responsive community to improve independent living among the county’s aging residents. Chanda Wingo joined FCOA in 2021. Prior to that, she was working at the Franklin County Department of Job & Family Services (FCDJFS), where she was assigned to a project that took her away from her daily tasks. “This meant that my team had to fill in for me,” Chanda says.
“During that time, I saw that they were ready for the next step without me,” she adds. “I knew at that moment that I was sitting in someone else’s seat.”
Subsequently, she moved to FCOA, a sister agency to FCDJFS. She took on the role of Assistant Director of Operations, and within a year, she was promoted to Interim Director. “That was around the time that the 5-year levy ended, and I was able to successfully take the lead on its passage,” Chanda recalls.
“Once we accomplished that, it turned into a full-time Director position,” she adds. “It’s been an amazing and rewarding journey.”
Key Achievements
Chanda has several notable accomplishments to her name. Among her most significant achievements are her roles as an inaugural member of various groups, including the Emerging Leaders cohort and the Racial Equity Council.
One of Chanda’s major achievements at the Office on Aging is the implementation of the Bridge Team. She explains that the Bridge Team allows them to deploy case managers into the community and hospitals. This means they can meet seniors where they are and provide them with direct access to resources.
Chanda shares an example of the Bridge Team’s impact: When a case manager from the team was working in a hospital emergency room, they found a senior in crisis. She shares that the senior didn’t have a phone, making it difficult for him to contact anyone during his medical emergency. He had to get down to his apartment lobby just to get help. Once stable, he shared that he hadn’t eaten in three days.
According to Chanda, the case manager immediately stepped in and provided him with an emergency response system, set up home-delivered meals for him, and ensured transportation for his medical appointments and errands. “Such stories and lived experiences are rewarding,” she points out. “The initiative we put forth allows seniors to overcome barriers that allow them to age in place successfully.”
The contribution of the Bridge Team was recognized nationally when, in 2024, it won an achievement award from the National Association of Counties (NACo). Chanda considers every achievement rewarding and effective. “It is because we can ensure that seniors have what they need in the areas they reside,” she says.
Challenges, Setbacks, and Maintaining Well-Being
Chanda’s role requires her to work with teams and network with peers and superiors, which present a significant challenge for her as an introvert who prefers to “hunker down and do the work.” To navigate this challenge, she works closely with mentors to identify her blind spots and ways in which to improve and overcome barriers.
She has adopted a strategy that makes her actively work on shifting her introverted mindset. “I understand that I can be introverted, but I also need to be intentional about conversations and experiences that I have,” Chanda says.” If there is someone in the room that can help my mission, it makes the networking less overwhelming.”
She also points out that her fierce passion for getting seniors what they need outweighs her need to be introverted. “And I have the tools to recharge when necessary,” she says. Chanda believes that having a “village” behind leaders is critical when they are facing setbacks. According to her, it is imperative that they develop strong working relationships and allow others to become advocates for them when they are not in the room. And, when troubleshooting and identifying working solutions, she makes it a point to work with her team and peers to gain additional insight. “This approach has proven successful with day-to-day challenges,” Chanda explains, “as my team does a wonderful job of providing objective perspectives to show me how I can leverage any situation I am in.”
Mental health is a priority for Chanda, both personally and for her staff. “I strongly encourage mental health days,” she says. She makes it a requirement for her team and herself to take one mental health day per quarter – a day away from work to do whatever they want with their time.
“Franklin County is progressive when it comes to our well-being, and it’s our responsibility to utilize the resources we have to prevent burnout,” Chanda says.
Responsibilities and Leadership Approach
As Director of the Franklin County Office on Aging, Chanda is responsible for laying out the vision and effectively executing it so that seniors can age in place through home and community-based support. This includes strategic planning and partnerships, active coaching, and performance evaluations, along with hours of internal and external teamwork.
She points out that an essential part of her job as the Director is to make sure all resources are deployed in the most effective and efficient ways to help seniors age in place successfully and in a healthy manner.
Chanda is a leader who places a strong focus on success planning. This enables her to learn about individual goals, strengths, and areas of opportunities for staff. She explains that by understanding these items, she can identify strategies to assist staff in achieving their goals. “Often, it is the potential opportunity to learn more naturally that motivates them,” she adds.
Additionally, through succession planning, she offers staff the opportunity to learn new skills, access resources, and gain exposure to everything Franklin County is involved in. “I bring them into the room for special meetings, projects, conversations, and initiatives to provide them a clear view of what’s possible beyond the seats they occupy today,” she says.
Chanda is also always looking for tools and resources to ensure people are successful. “Over my career, I’ve been able to assist more than 100 employees, helping them secure opportunities – who were promoted into various positions throughout the county,” she shares.
Dynamic Days and Work-Life Balance
Chanda doesn’t have a typical workday. As her calendar is ever-changing, she has a lot of dynamic days. On most days, she is working on special projects, attending community meetings to solve issues in Franklin County, and collaborating with partners to provide services. On other days, she is in the community with seniors.
Every week, Chanda holds calendar meetings with her team. During these meetings, she encourages everyone to give their input and help prioritize things on her schedule. She points out that as she cannot be everywhere at once, this provides her team with an opportunity to represent their agency in some capacity. “They also have a chance to understand what kind of conversations and collaborations are critical to helping us serve our seniors,” she adds.
As she has a demanding work schedule, how does she maintain a work-life balance? She says that this is something that she is working on and consciously keeping within her purview.
“I’ve learned to delegate and divide and conquer the things that come my way,” she shares. “I also carve out time for myself weekly. She considers it is an ongoing practice but a necessary one because “I am a selfless public servant, but to be effective, I must make time for myself.”
Guided by Principles of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority
Chanda is a proud member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Incorporated. She feels it is an honor to be a member of this sorority. “It’s a privilege that comes with a deep sense of responsibility and commitment,” she says. “Rooted in sisterhood, scholarship, and service, the sorority fosters personal growth, leadership development, and a dedication to social change.”
As a member, Chanda is part of committees and various projects that serve their community. She points out that the values and principles of Delta Sigma Theta guide her actions, reminding her to uplift and serve others, take care of herself, and contribute meaningfully to the betterment of her community.
Impacting future generations
As everyone is aging, Chanda believes that their work will impact future generations. “All of us are aging and growing older impacts everyone’s life at any given stage of it,” she says.
Currently, she and her team are serving three generations – Greatest, Silent and Baby Boomers. Chanda points out that they are also preparing for Gen X who will begin turning 60 in 2025. “This means that intergenerational caregiving is on the rise everywhere we turn,” she adds.
She notes that there is a marked increase in the number of grandparents who are raising grand and great-grandchildren. Their needs are not the same as seniors who are responsible for only themselves. “We must look at the programs offered and implement changes to help all seniors age in place and be inclusive of their household dynamics,” Chanda says. “We must operate through the lens of understanding the social determinants of health (SDoH) because it is a strong indicator of how one is going to age.”
For example, in Franklin County, about 283,000 minors live in a household that includes one or more grandparents. “So, we must focus on spaces that can accommodate all generations and be empathetic, all while allowing for successful aging in place,” Chanda says.
