My Background

As a young single mother, I experienced first-hand the struggles of being poor in the United States…navigating homelessness, selling plasma and volunteering for medical testing to make ends meet, going to clothes closets while piecing together social assistance. I knew that another world was possible as I met many extraordinary people also in the throes of poverty.

These experiences led me to co-found a grassroots organization run by and for poor people and revealed my life’s purpose of working to create a better world for all. Building on my experience as an organizer, I pursued degrees in social work with an emphasis on community organizing and policy practice. I brought that passion for change into the classroom as I have taught budding social workers about their commitment to work toward racial and social justice. As a university administrator now, I serve as a fervent leader, expanding student supports in the form of scholarships and fellowships and championing campus-wide initiatives around diversity and inclusion.