Giovanna N. Carter

Giovanna Carter is a Mental Health Professional, Board-Certified Mindset Life Coach, and founder of Voice for the Youth LLC, a nonprofit she established in March 2018 to support Milwaukee’s most vulnerable young people. Based in Milwaukee County, Wisconsin, Giovanna is deeply committed to serving youth facing homelessness, behavioral health challenges, and involvement with the criminal justice system. With over 12,000 homeless youth currently in Milwaukee, her daily work focuses on connecting young people with essential resources such as food, shelter, and crisis stabilization support while helping them build emotional resilience and self-regulation skills. Over the course of her career, she has helped more than 400 youth create meaningful behavioral change and develop greater confidence, stability, and direction in their lives.

Giovanna’s educational and professional training has been instrumental in shaping her approach to youth advocacy and mental health care. She earned her Bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice from the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee, which strengthens her ability to help youth and families navigate the criminal justice system and better understand how laws and policies impact their lives. She later earned her Master of Arts in Clinical Psychology with a concentration in behavioral analysis from The Chicago School of Professional Psychology in 2020. Giovanna is also certified in trauma-informed care and transformational life coaching, allowing her to develop individualized behavioral and support plans that address trauma, emotional wellness, and long-term personal growth. Her coaching focuses on emotional regulation, wise-mind decision-making, and empowering youth to become confident self-advocates.

Giovanna’s work is driven by her personal life experiences and her passion for breaking cycles of dysfunction for future generations. Growing up in a challenging and unsupportive environment, she witnessed many young people facing circumstances similar to her own childhood struggles, including exposure to drug abuse, sexual abuse, and unstable home environments. These experiences motivated her to pursue a career helping youth who feel unheard and unsupported. She previously worked in Child Protective Services and at a behavioral health hospital, where she helped design programs specifically for youth from high-risk backgrounds. Her dedication to youth mentorship has been recognized professionally, including being named Mentor of the Month through Billy Portis for the Milwaukee Bucks and Greater Milwaukee Mentoring. Giovanna remains committed to building brighter futures for young people through advocacy, compassion, and community-centered support.

• Board-Certified Mindset Life Coach
• Certified in Trauma-Informed Care

• Chicago School of Professional Psychology at Chicago Illinois - MA, Clinical Psychology
• UWM Milwaukee – B.S. Criminal Justice

• Mentor of the Month
• Billy Portis for the Milwaukee Bucks and Greater Milwaukee Mentoring
• January 2025

• Greater Milwaukee Mentoring

• Chloi Committed to Care Foundation
• Milwaukee County Youth Justice Facility Programming