Born in Illinois, and raised in Central and Southern Mississippi has impressed upon my personality to be hospitable, and polite with the heart to serve those in need.  As my mother pursued Early Childhood Education,  I was the guinea pig for every assignment. These experiences influenced and developed a passion for serving children and families and later establishing a Preschool Academy. My first career straight out of high school was early childhood education at a local childcare center and then a local headstart.

My interest sparked to pursue a career in Social Work as I endured a personal life experience with little to no resources.  During recovery, I remained in constant prayer for healing. I vowed to God that post-recovery I would ensure that any person I met in need of resources wouldn’t go without community support in my presence. I then enrolled in the Social of Social Work at the University of Mississippi,” Ole Miss,” to pursue a bachelor’s degree. I later relocated from Mississippi to Texas to pursue a career in social services as the job market was very competitive. I  graduated from the University of Texas at Arlington with a Master’s degree in Social Work with the understanding that my goal was to become a Medical Social Worker. This opened unlimited opportunities to reach the people who encountered healthcare hardships as planned.

Although I gained several years of experience in social services serving children and families, chronic, acute, and terminal patients, I never lost interest in serving children and families. I’d had visions of what owning a Preschool would look like. I kept journals and wrote plans, which later developed into a business plan.  The vision written was made plain and blossomed into a kingdom business platform. God granted me the capability to serve children with a four-star Texas Rising Star accredited education at International Kids Academy Inc. IKA, Inc. also offers wrap-around services for children and their families.  International Kids Academy, Inc. employees have access to the same community resources. Establishing International Kids Academy Inc. has allowed me to offer free college degree options and Childcare Associate Credentials to all educators employed.

From 2019 to the present we have expanded our services to provide care for 63  to 93 children from infants to our grade school aftercare program. We look forward to being able to accept more children and families to be of service. We provide transportation to all in need and partner with non-profit agencies in the community.  We hold dear to assisting transitional housing families and hosted families through the Safe Families agency.

Early childhood is one of the most influential duration of milestone development. To have such a positive and evidence-based impact on children, families, and employees connected to International Kids Academy, Inc. brings such fulfillment and humility. I will continue to advocate and be the change in early childhood with plans to advance into influencing policy and research.