Amanda Woody Right at Home as City of Bridgeport's Human Resources Director
By Chris Johnson on July 14, 2024
When starting a new job, there is a generally a period of time that must pass before one finds their comfort level.
For Amanda Woody, the City of Bridgeport’s Human Resources Director, she felt right at home on Day 1.
“I immediately felt comfortable the first day I was around here,” Woody said. “Me and (City Clerk) Lauren (Rogers) work really close together. I work really close with the Finance Department. I feel like all of the department heads work really well together. It’s a tight-knit group.
“Everybody has been great. Every Department Head I’ve dealt with has been welcoming and they have done everything they can to help me understand their department.
“It’s been great. I love Bridgeport. I’m from Buckhannon but I’ve always been drawn to Bridgeport, it’s a great community and I love being a part of it.”
Woody filled the role as the city’s HR director in February, taking over for Jordan Hill who left the position to become the Human Resources Manager for the Federal Bureau of Prisons.
While her co-workers helped her adjust to the new job quickly, Wood’s own skill set didn’t hurt either.
After graduating from Buckhannon-Upshur High School and while attending Glenville State, Woody worked in the Upshur County Sheriff's Department.
“I’ve always had a love for local government,” she said. “My Mom was the Circuit Clerk in Upshur County so I’ve always been tied to local government.”
In addition to her work with the Upshur County Sheriff's Department, Woody built an impressive resume prior to coming to Bridgeport that included social work, running her own business and human resources. She said a friend tipped her off in regard to the opening in Bridgeport, she thought it sounded amazing so she applied and the rest is history.
Woody says she believes the social work experience and the business owner experience go hand in hand with human resources.
“The biggest misconception about HR, is that it’s all disciplinary,” she said. “There are a lot of aspects to HR and I’m really drawn to the HR aspects of helping individuals, solving problems, being there for the employees, promoting the employees, promoting moral. Probably from my social work background, I feel like I’m very emphatic and inclusive.
“I feel like the majority of the people here have found that out now. They know they can come to me and I’m pretty relaxed. I’m not stern or strict, I’m easy to get along with. I feel like most people know they can come talk to me when they have a problem.”
Woody has made it a point to get out and see the city’s employees as often as she can, no matter if it’s The Bridge, the library, the Fire Department, the Police Department.
“I want to know what’s going on. I want to know how everybody is doing and check in with them,” she said. “I think the biggest surprise since I’ve been here is the amount of employees at The Bridge. I didn’t realize how big it was and it’s new to me dealing with a sports facility.”
Additionally, the amount of workers at The Bridge who aren’t full-time employees – college students, high school students – has been a new experience for her but one she has welcomed with open arms.
“Ninety-nine percent of your success at work is the people you are surrounded with,” Woody said. “I can go and do HR anywhere, it’s pretty versatile, but what really matter is the people you are working with. That’s what’s going to make it work, that’s what makes all the HR policies work.”
Woody lives in Buckhannon with her two children, Kyrie and Scotty, and the family’s two dogs, a pair of Westies, Teddy and Freya.
Editor's Note: Top photo shows Woody in her office and bottom photo is of her at a recent City Council meeting.
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