BIOGRAPHY

Dr. Woods simultaneously started her sociology PhD program, became a community leader at a local economic justice organization, and began working with campus leaders at every level to increase student participation in decision-making processes. So while she studied and taught about social inequalities and movements, she also worked on issue and legislative campaigns like protecting and expanding Social Security and Medicaid, and co-founded and/or served as a leader in several campus groups and organizations. She went on to gain experience as a reproductive justice organizer and opposition researcher, which led to her co-founding and/or serving as a leader at several health-focused collectives like Mid-MO Repro and the Missouri HIV Justice Coalition. Now, she continues to jointly address community based issues with professionals and community leaders as a cofounder and the Executive Director of Center for Collective Action.