Willa graduated from Ohio University with a Bachelor of Science in education. She taught in Portsmouth, Ohio and in Marietta before going to work at ODOT District 10 for 17 years. Willa then worked in ODOT Central Office in Columbus, serving as the statewide union quality coordinator until her retirement about six years ago. She was given the opportunity to bring her career full circle when she began working with Big Brothers Big Sisters as Washington County Coordinator about four years ago.