I was born to a drug dealer, and then I married one.

Now that I’ve caught your attention, let me give you a little peek into my life and why I’m so passionate about leading well.

I grew up in a version of poverty that’s not cute. You know, the kind where you don’t just say you’re “poor” because you can’t afford a vacation; it’s the kind where you’re moving around all the time, relying on state benefits, and friends and family give you Christmas presents because that’s the only way you’ll have anything under the tree. I spent my childhood living in a trailer until I moved out—never knowing if we’d make it out of the next financial hole.

My dad got clean when I was about 9, but man, that doesn’t undo over a decade of poor choices and financial ruin. It’s a slow crawl out of that kind of hole.

Statistically, I wasn’t supposed to make it out. But somehow, I did.

How?

Because a handful of people, who didn’t know each other, saw something in me. They believed in me when I didn’t believe in myself, and they pushed me to be more. They loved me, pushed me a little further, and opened doors for me—doors that were only available through opportunity and money, and they gave that to me out of their own pockets. They weren’t perfect leaders, but they were present. They tried to lead well, and that made all the difference.

Here’s something I had to learn early on: I became an expert at code-switching. For those who may not be familiar, code-switching is the art of adjusting how you communicate depending on the people around you. I had to figure out how to fit into places where I didn’t belong—the kid from the wrong side of the tracks in a room full of kids who had never struggled. I had to read the room, build relationships, and—let’s be honest—keep people close, but not too close.

As a result, my social awareness and relationship-building skills are on a whole different level. I learned how to work hard, adapt quickly, and navigate all kinds of environments. But I also learned how to keep people at arm’s length—because sometimes, it felt safer that way.

But here’s the truth I’ve learned over the years: People can change. My dad stayed clean for 30 years when I lost him in August of 2024. And more than that, no one is ever truly self-made. We are all shaped by the leaders who invest in us, the ones who see the potential we sometimes can’t see in ourselves.

Leadership can change lives. It can change generations. It can build legacies.

Now, I’m lucky enough to have a husband who is the best man I’ve ever met. He’s a pharmacist, but more importantly, he’s a partner, a leader, and an amazing role model to our children. They are growing up in a world I thought only existed in fairytales. And me? I’m still learning to be vulnerable. I know I am powerful, and I’ve learned that I have a deep drive to speak truth to power.

But what truly drives me is my passion for seeing the leader in others. It’s a gift I’ve developed over the years—to recognize leadership potential in people and do everything I can to pull it out of them.

I believe with every fiber of my being that every person deserves to be seen as a full human—one with value, potential, and purpose. Everyone deserves a chance to wake up every day and go to work in an environment that inspires them, for a boss who believes in them and helps connect the work they do to a larger purpose—one that resonates deeply with their own values.

Life-changing bosses, our world needs you. Take that seriously.

The mantra “Be the person you needed when you were younger” isn’t just a nice idea. It’s life-changing when we live by it.

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