Service has been the throughline of my life and work, not as a singular act, but as a long term commitment to showing up for others with care, responsibility, and purpose. I give back by working alongside community based organizations that serve people navigating trauma, transition, and systemic barriers, and by supporting leaders who are building solutions rooted in their communities. For more than a decade, my work has centered on nonprofit and volunteer driven spaces focused on survivor support, reentry, civic participation, and grassroots organizing. I have served in roles that require both compassion and discipline, supporting organizations as they clarify their vision, strengthen their operations, and secure the resources needed to continue their work. Much of my service has happened behind the scenes, through strategic planning, grant development, leadership support, and capacity building. I believe deeply that service is not only about direct care, but also about strengthening the structures that allow care to continue over time. In addition to my professional service, I am a teaching artist and classically trained violinist with more than twenty years of experience in community based music education. I have taught and created in public schools, juvenile facilities, reentry programs, and community spaces. In these environments, music becomes a tool for expression, discipline, and connection, especially for young people and adults who may not otherwise have access to creative outlets. This work reflects my belief that service includes honoring the whole person, including emotional and creative needs. Service has also shaped how I approach leadership. I am currently pursuing my MBA, not to step away from community work, but to strengthen my ability to serve more effectively. Education, for me, is an extension of service. It equips me with the skills to help organizations operate sustainably, make ethical decisions, and build systems that prioritize people rather than burnout or short term fixes. I see service as something that must be supported by strong infrastructure and thoughtful leadership. Looking ahead, I plan to continue expanding my work with nonprofit organizations and community leaders, particularly those from underrepresented communities who often lack access to strategic support. My long term goal is to help build durable institutions that can support communities across generations. This includes mentoring emerging leaders, supporting organizations through growth and transition, and contributing to a nonprofit sector that values accountability, transparency, and care. What resonates deeply about Priscilla Shireen Luke’s legacy is her devotion to serving others beyond herself. That spirit reflects how I understand service. It is not about recognition, but about responsibility. It is about using one’s skills, education, and time to contribute to something larger than oneself. Giving back is not something I plan to do in the future. It is something I am already doing and will continue to do with intention. Supporting others, strengthening community rooted work, and building pathways for collective progress is how I hope to help leave the world better than I found it.

My values are grounded in responsibility, clarity, and collective care. I believe that meaningful work requires taking ownership of ideas, being accountable for outcomes, and building systems that serve people with dignity over time. These values shape how I approach leadership, education, and the role business can play in supporting healthier communities. For more than a decade, I have worked with community based organizations addressing reentry, survivor support, civic participation, and grassroots organizing. Through this work, I have seen how mental health is deeply connected to economic stability, organizational leadership, and access to resources. Many organizations doing critical mental health related work struggle not because of a lack of commitment, but because they lack the strategic tools and financial infrastructure needed to sustain their impact. This reality has shaped my belief that strong business practices are essential to community wellbeing. My academic background in Criminal Justice gave me a systems level understanding of how policy, institutions, and resource allocation affect individual lives. It also revealed the limits of systems that respond to crisis without investing in long term capacity. That insight led me to pursue an MBA at Boston University, where I am developing skills in strategic leadership, financial decision making, and organizational management. Studying business allows me to support mission driven organizations in building stable structures that can better serve the mental and emotional needs of their communities. In my professional work, I focus on helping organizations move from powerful ideas to clear and fundable strategies. This includes aligning values with budgets, leadership decisions, and long range planning. When organizations are financially stable and strategically sound, they are better positioned to support mental health initiatives, retain staff, and respond thoughtfully to community needs rather than operating in constant crisis. I am also a classically trained violinist and teaching artist, with over twenty years of experience in performance and community based music education. Teaching and creating in schools, juvenile facilities, and reentry programs has reinforced my belief that creativity and mental health are closely linked. Artistic spaces often provide grounding, expression, and connection for people navigating trauma or transition. This experience informs how I think about leadership and organizational culture, especially the importance of environments that value people as whole individuals. As a woman pursuing graduate education in business, my values guide me toward work that prioritizes ethical leadership, transparency, and long term impact. I believe business can be a tool for strengthening mental health outcomes when it is rooted in responsibility to people and place. My future work will continue to focus on building organizations that are both financially sound and deeply responsive to the communities they serve.