MEET THE TEAM
Persevering. Thriving. Solving Problems.
Meet Alma
(U.S. Program Leader)
Alma is a lifetime volunteer who believes in the impact of mentoring. She has spent many years helping kids believe in themselves and achieve their highest potential through nonprofit organizations like Big Brothers/Big Sisters, Dream Angels, Inc., and Bright Light Volunteers International. She currently volunteers as a Program Leader for Bright Light Volunteers, leading high school and university students through global studies programs in Cuba, Peru and Costa Rica.
Alma retired from her professional career in nonprofit leadership in 2020 and today enjoys opportunities that enrich her soul by living in Costa Rica where she now makes her home. Alma developed the Black Girls Go Global program in 2021 … a S.T.E.A.M.-related global studies program in Brasilito, Costa Rica on behalf of Bright Light Volunteers ... in order to provide black girls with educational opportunities in science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics.
She is the parent of a 30-year-old daughter (adopted when she was 10) and a 26-year-old son. She says “raising them has been by far the hardest thing I’ve ever done in my life, but the most rewarding thing I’ve ever done!”
Meet Nina
(Costa Rica Program Leader)
Nina is 18 years old and finishing up her senior year of high school. She is half American and half Costarican but has lived in Costa Rica her whole life (¡ama a su país!). She loves traveling and believes personal growth occurs when you get out of your comfort zone and explore new cultures. She is very passionate about making a difference through the empowerment of girls because she believes that the more girls that are empowered, the better the world becomes.
When Nina was 16, she started her own nonprofit with her friends called Empodérala which focuses on bringing access to menstrual products as well as empowerment and labor workshops to women living in shelters in Costa Rica.
¡Esta sumamente emocionada y agradecida de poder compartir la historia y la cultura de Costa Rica con las chicas de Black Girls Go Global!
[Translation]
She is extremely excited and grateful to be able to share the history and culture of Costa Rica with the girls of Black Girls Go Global!
Meet Lisa
She is extremely passionate about empowering Young Girls and Women to discover their leadership voice and entrepreneurial skills within. She has served on numerous boards in various capacities. She is the Past Board President and Mentor for The Dream Angels Organization, which is a mentoring organization for girls’ grades 3-12. She has served as a mentor for “Girls Going Places” Entrepreneurship Program, has mentored high school girls in the Richardson School District through its Professional Internship Program. Lisa has also served as a “Peace Through Business” Mentor for The Institute of Economic Empowerment of Women, which mentors women business owners from Rwanda and Afghanistan on business related issues.
Her personal mission is “To empower others to recognize their true greatness by coaching them to achieve any goal, vision, or life dream they desire by applying the 4P Success Recipe: Passion to Purpose, Prayer (Faith), Planning, and Perseverance”.
When not working she enjoys spending time with family and friends, organic gardening, listening to music, going to the movies, a nice Netflix Bing, playing her drums, reading spiritual and personal growth books and publications, mentoring young girls, thinking of business concepts (it's in her DNA, most of the women in her family have owned businesses), playing racquetball, playing pickleball and just “BEING instead of Doing.” She's discovered the joys of napping, even during the workweeks. According to Lisa those power naps makes all the difference in the
world! She’s honored and thrilled to be a part of the Black Girls Go Global Initiative as a chaperone and consultant.
Meet Sherri
Sherri has been working with youth, teenagers and their families for 30 years. Her role as program director and coordinator has led teams both in the educational private and public sectors. Currently, Sherri works in an administrative support role for a federal head start grant serving over 1,100 families.
She has enjoyed volunteering in various capacities with many nonprofit organizations whose primary focus was empowering girls and women. Sherri has always been passionate about seeing young people thrive, grow and become the best versions of themselves!
Sherri is so honored and excited to be a part of the Black Girls Go Global team! When not working or volunteering, Sherri enjoys live music, hiking, visiting the beach, and developing her creative side through various art forms.
Meet Traci
Traci is a health clinician with a Masters in Human Services and a concentration in counseling who helps organizations with programs that positively impacts an individual’s well being. She loves people and this is one of many ways she blesses them.
She also loves mentoring, encouraging, and empowering young people. She formed Beyond Our Block … a nonprofit organization in Baltimore County … that helps young people of color aspire to achieve greater things beyond their neighborhood. Traci loves family. Her family is large and she loves get togethers and cooking for them. When she is not spending time with family, she enjoys traveling around the country attending jazz festivals, sunsets on the beach, going to church, and learning Spanish.
Traci is an original member of the Black Girls Go Global team and will be a chaperone on the 2023 program.
Meet Kayleen
Kayleen Carter is a 27-year-old charismatic millennial living in Sacramento, CA where she was born and raised. She received her Bachelor of Arts in Public Relations from the California State University of Sacramento in May of 2022. Her hobbies include volunteering, writing short stories & poetry, listening to podcasts, reading, and having in-depth discussions about social inequalities and social injustice.
She also enjoys spending quality time with her Australian Shepherd, Sky. She served the Black Girls Go Global mission as its Media consultant and is happy to continue her work for the program as a chaperone.
Meet Cheryl
Cheryl Jordan has many years of experience mentoring and is a strong advocate for emotional health and wellness. She has a bachelors degree in Child Psychology and a masters degree in Higher Education Student Services. She has competed hours of training in Therapeutic Art for Healing.
She has discovered that blending art with focused topics creates an atmosphere that allows the participants to look within to discover inner peace and express positive affirmations and reflections on canvas.
Currently, she works full-time as a Public School Outreach Coordinator in Dallas, TX. In this role she continues to fulfill her passion of empowering young women through a mentoring program called Q.U.E.E.N. She is also an entrepreneur with a product line called Mug Hugs, drinkware designed with positive thoughts and messages.
Meet Lauren
Lauren is a 26-year-old native from Dallas, TX who learned at an early age to "love your neighbor as yourself." She enjoys every aspect of pouring into youth and doing her best to love others as well.
Following in her big sisters footsteps, Lauren joined a mentoring organization called Dream Angels, Inc. as a 3rd grader where she was mentored by Alma Garcia, Lisa Randolph, and Sherri Settles. Little did she know the impact this group would have over her life. Dream Angels created a safe environment for minority girls in underrepresented communities to meet, be tutored, and have unique life changing experiences.
This mentorship created great relationships that fostered Lauren's love for helping girls of all ages and backgrounds. In high school, Lauren experienced an opportunity of a lifetime as a camper at Kids Across America (KAA). This experience allowed Lauren and her peers to enjoy faith, sports, and arts for one week unplugged from the social media-driven society.
With the program, Lauren traveled on mission trips to Haiti and the Dominican Republic.
Over the years, Lauren as worked as a photographer, office aid, full-time counselor, in-house counselor, and certified family teacher for many organizations serving youth.
Most recently, Lauren worked as a live-in certified family teacher at Mooseheart Child and City School in Illinois.
In her free time, Lauren enjoys watching Netflix, spending time with family and friends, reading, and catching up on sleep! Lauren is thrilled to start this new chapter with Black Girls Go Global.
