Model Behavior: Ryan McLaughlin Wood

If you ask Ryan McLaughlin Wood how long she has been involved with Goodwill, her answer would be since she was a child. Her father Fred McLaughlin has served for almost 30 years as board member, board chair and currently serves as trustee for the Goodwill Foundation. 

Ryan attended The Harpeth Hall School and graduated magna cum laude from the University of Georgia with a Bachelor of Business Administration. She started working with a major financial institution, moved to New York for 10 years and then Greenville, South Carolina. When Ryan relocated to Nashville to become a wealth management executive in July 2022, she jumped at the opportunity to get more involved with Goodwill through attending the Impact Awards Luncheon, taking a tour to better understand the local Goodwill operations and mission, as well as serving as co-chair for the 2023 Impact Awards with her longtime friend Robin Andrews.

“My involvement with Goodwill has made me a better person,” says Ryan. “People are good — and there is great power in communities coming together to make a difference in neighbors’ lives. The onsite construction training program provides skill-based learning that can immediately translate into jobs and inspires confidence. Everyone deserves a chance to improve their situation, and it is inspiring to be part of an organization that helps cheer our neighbors on. Their work is good for Nashville and offers a hand up, not a handout.”

The general consensus when speaking to her friends and associates is that Ryan is a ball of fire and — like her dad — is persuasive in the most charming, compelling ways. She makes people want to be on her team, no matter what she’s working on. Her energy attracts people, and the fine folks at Goodwill can’t wait to see what else Ryan does for our community. They are betting on her to set the bar high.