I am a girl from Forest Hill, whose family is from the north side of town, but I grew up on the Southside and eventually graduated from the east side (Stop 6 to be exact). I love Fort Worth, all parts of it. Time, education, and experience have taught me how to channel my passion into creating a better life for others who love this city too. I am a champion for the underdog, the unseen, the unheard, and the unwanted. My goal is to use my modest privilege to give voice and power to those with fewer resources than I have. I primarily focus on educational and mental healthcare equity.

My career has enabled me to serve diverse groups of people, many of whom faced school discipline issues, contact with the criminal justice system, and behavioral and mental health needs. As a former school and intervention counselor, I specialized in working with adolescent and young adult students at high risk of dropping out, including those experiencing homelessness and trauma symptoms. Regardless of the reasons they were on my caseload, I advocated for students to receive equitable educational and counseling services, both on my campus and upon returning to their home schools.

Additionally, I am a small business owner, a Licensed Chemical Dependency Counselor, and Certified Restorative Dialogue and Practices Coordinator. I hold an Ed.D. in Counselor Education and Supervision and served as faculty for a master’s program in clinical mental health and school counseling. I have extensive experience conducting program evaluations, needs assessments, community assessments, research—both qualitative and quantitative—and policy analysis related to equity, school discipline, and public education. I believe in coalition building and adopting a strengths-based, solution-focused approach that recognizes the assets people and communities already develop and utilize, rather than focusing on deficits. Approaching problems from an SB/SF lens fosters equity by valuing those often seen as lacking meaningful contributions.

Two of my proudest achievements are receiving grants that addressed student and community needs. I was part of the team that secured a North Texas Council of Governments grant to fund an Adolescent Community Reinforcement Approach program for students with substance use histories and placements at a Disciplinary Alternative Educational Placement (DAEP). I also received an Education Foundation grant to implement “Meeting the GAP (Graduate and Parenting),” an initiative I created to address challenges students face balancing their education with parental responsibilities.

I enjoy volunteering for nonprofits that prioritize equity, diversity, inclusion, and belonging across sectors, especially in public education and mental healthcare for underserved and under-resourced communities. I am a member of various organizations, including the Junior League of Fort Worth, Leadership ISD—Tarrant County, PATHSForward, and Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. I previously served on the Board of TeenLife-Texas, was the co-chair of the DEI committee for JLFW, and currently lead the research committee while serving on the board of F.L.Y. Girlz Academy, Inc. Each organization offers opportunities for community engagement, philanthropy, and training or development, all with an emphasis on equity.