Jackson Free Press

In February, the Women's Foundation of Mississippi hosted a fundraising event called SMART Party to raise money for the organization. The fundraiser drew in crowds of people willing to donate and support the cause. Tracy DeVries was among them.

After attending the event, she fell in love with the organization's work. So when she saw an opening, she knew she had to apply. The opening came at an opportune time for DeVries as she will be moving from Washington, D.C., to Jackson this November to live with her husband, former sportscaster Tony Bahou. Now, the Fairfax, Virginia native will begin her position as the new executive director in January 2017.

"It was one of those funny things," she told the Jackson Free Press. "I saw they had the position open, and I think it was maybe a few days before they were closing the application process, and I thought to myself this might actually be a really great next move, so I applied."

In her career, DeVries has worked with various nonprofit organizations. She currently works for the Special Olympics, where she oversees administration and programming for a grant the organization received from the U.S. Department of Education. She says she always knew she wanted to work with a nonprofit or other non-governmental agency once she graduated college (she received a bachelor's degree in international relations from Michigan State University in 1997), so an open position at the Special Olympics was a perfect first step. Her brother, Michael DeVries, was a competitor in the Special Olympics, so she says she already felt close to the organization.

A career in nonprofits has proven fruitful for DeVries, and she believes the work has evolved into a business plan. Over the course of her career, she has worked at two major nonprofit headquarters, including the American Red Cross, all of which has given her an outlet to work and give back.

"I really like that you really have an opportunity to give back to the community, whether it's the community you live in or the larger community in your state or around the world; it's a really unique thing to be able to go to work every day and be able to make a contribution to the world around you," DeVries said.

Her move to Mississippi will allow her to continue her work. In the foundation, DeVries will be responsible for the day-to-day operations of the organization such as fundraising, grant-making and research. For her, the work the Women's Foundation of Mississippi has already done has begun to create a legacy, and she hopes that as she comes in, she can continue that work.

"The organization is focused on making sure women have opportunities to continue to thrive and have access. That's why I joined the organization. I do believe that when women have opportunities it's best for them and better for the community, so I'm hoping to make a difference for many people in the state of Mississippi."