Press Release

Rasheeda Clark Joins Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption Board of Trustees 

Foundation committed to finding permanent homes for more than 140,000 children waiting in North America’s foster care systems

Columbus, Ohio — The Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption, a national, non-profit public charity, today welcomed Rasheeda Clark as a member of its board of trustees.  

Clark is the Brand President, Wendy’s at the Flynn Group and oversees more than 300 Wendy’s restaurants operating in seven states. Clark is focused on ethically driving results, effectively building high-performing cross-functional teams and being a champion of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. Spending time in Wendy’s restaurants is where she most loves to be, thriving off that energy, creating a welcoming and successful environment for crew members and connecting that work back to the Foundation’s mission. 

“The mission of the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption is one that resonates deeply with me. Every child deserves a safe, loving, and permanent home — a place where they can thrive and realize their full potential. Adoption transforms lives, not just for the children but also for the families and communities that embrace them,” said Clark. 

“Rasheeda’s focus on strategic growth and operational excellence is a great fit for our board as we continue to aggressively scale our Wendy’s Wonderful Kids program and invest in areas that advance post-adoption support for families and critical child welfare policies,” said Rita Soronen, President & CEO of the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption. “I look forward to working alongside Rasheeda to expand our footprint of impact.” 

Through its signature program, Wendy’s Wonderful Kids®, the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption provides funding to adoption agencies to support the hiring of adoption professionals, known as recruiters, who implement an evidence-based, child-focused recruitment model. A rigorous, five-year evaluation revealed that the model is up to three times more effective at serving children who have been in foster care the longest, including teenagers, children with special needs and siblings. To date, more than 580 Wendy’s Wonderful Kids recruiters have found forever families for more than 15,000 children in foster care across North America.  

“As a former professional athlete, I know the importance of teamwork and cross-functional communication. The Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption is the epitome of collaboration, engaging private and public entities, staff and supporters to ensure every child has a permanent home and a loving family. There isn’t a better cause to serve,” said Clark.  

Prior to the Flynn Group, Clark was VP of Operations for Advance Auto Parts and spent time at PepsiCo. and Target. She was also the Director of the Northern California Diversity & Inclusion Board. 

Clark graduated from Pepperdine University in California with a bachelor’s degree in business administration. Additionally, she played five years of collegiate basketball and three years in the WNBA. Clark was the first African American athlete from Pepperdine to be selected to play for a USA National Basketball team. She lives in Las Vegas, Nevada. 

About the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption  

The Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption is a national, nonprofit public charity dedicated to finding permanent homes for the more than 140,000 children waiting in North America’s foster care systems. Created by Wendy’s® founder Dave Thomas who was adopted, the Foundation implements evidence-based, results-driven national service programs, foster care adoption awareness campaigns and innovative grantmaking.To learn more, visit davethomasfoundation.org

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