By Ross Community Center Board of Directors—
MUNCIE, IN—The Ross Community Center Board of Directors has announced that Jacqueline Hanoman will be stepping down from her role as Executive Director after 10 years of dedicated service. Hanoman will be relocating to Portugal with her family to pursue her next chapter.
Hanoman joined Ross Community Center as executive director in December 2015. During her tenure, the Center experienced significant growth and transformation, strengthening its role as a vibrant hub for the surrounding neighborhood and beyond. Under her leadership, Ross Community Center built three baseball fields and launched its own Little League program; established a community garden; began a free community food market; deepened longstanding community partnerships; and celebrated its 50th anniversary. Most recently, Hanoman was honored as a recipient of the 2025 Athena Leadership Award.
From the beginning of her tenure, Hanoman prioritized building trust and understanding within Thomas Park-Avondale— the neighborhood directly served by Ross Community Center. She immersed herself in the community, ensuring that programs and services reflected the evolving needs of those who live, work, and gather there. Former board member David Heilman reflected on her leadership, stating, “There’s a level of compassion, relatability, and caring that made her a strong candidate for the position—and which has helped her succeed so meaningfully in the role.”
“It has been my honor and immense pleasure to have served the Ross Community Center and the people of our community these past ten years,” Hanoman said. “It is a wonderful organization, which I will always carry in my heart and support in any way I can. I leave with the happiness of knowing that I have achieved what I set out to do at the center over the last ten years, for it is now transformed into a vibrant community center where people of all ages can enjoy engaging with each other in a safe environment.”
The Board of Directors has begun the process of identifying Ross Community Center’s next executive director. The board remains committed to continuity, stability, and the organization’s mission, and will announce more of the process in the coming weeks.
Ross Community Center’s mission is to build community by providing and promoting programs, services, and activities that advance education, lifelong learning, health, and wellness in our diverse community.
