Photography by Xavier Photographic Art. Fashion by Folake Kuye Style Pantry. Location is the Ovation Art Hotel in Sarasota, FL
Born in the early fifties in the Cherry Hill area of Baltimore City to hard-working parents who did everything they could to raise the four children despite the economic and social struggles of the time I learned from the examples around me to be a strong, confident, independent black woman who feared no one and would let nothing get in the way of my success.
I received an undergraduate degree in Theater and Dance/Business Administration at the University of Maryland Baltimore County (UMBC) and the University of Maryland University College respectively. After a short career spent performing and teaching dance while working full time in administration at UMBC, I rose to the position of the Assistant Vice President for Administration Services. During that time, I worked with several professional organizations and traveled around the country teaching workshops in contracting and public procurement. Always the student, at the age of forty-two while working full-time, I earned my Juris Doctorate from the University of Maryland School of Law.
I retired from my career in academia in 2008 to become Senior Counsel for Constellation Energy Corporation which later merged with Exelon Corporation, a Fortune 50 corporation, where I became an Assistant General Counsel travelling between Exelon’s headquarters in Chicago and locations in Philadelphia and Baltimore to work with utility clients ComED, PECO and Baltimore Gas & Electric Company until I retired at the end of 2014.
My journey has included growing up in the projects, discrimination, poverty, sexual and physical abuse all of which prepared me for not only disappointments and failure but also great joy and success. It also led to a great passion to pay it forward by inspiring, mentoring and encouraging women.
Now retired and following my passions by being president and CEO of my own company Powering Journeys, I spend my time giving back by a motivational speaker, life coach and mentor. I am give back by being part of the Sarasota Cuban Ballet School, volunteering at Girls, Inc of Sarasota, mentoring at Alta Vista Elementary School and the Women’s Resource Center of Sarasota and have fun by pursuing a career as a senior model, traveling the world and spending time with my husband – so the journey continues and I look forward to each and every day!