Her Story
About Lakendra
Lakendra Ellison is a self-determination coordinator with the Department of Disability and Aging in Tennessee. She has been in the disabilities field since 2012, initially providing direct care in a group home before advancing to her current supervisory role overseeing five direct reports. In her position, Ellison reviews service plans, supports case managers, and assists families with transitions when parents can no longer provide care. She earned a bachelor's degree in arts, majoring in math communications, from Lane College in Jackson, Tennessee, in 2010, and a master's in business administration from Bethel College in McKenzie, Tennessee, around 2012. Ellison attributes her dedication to her childhood experience caring for her sister who had a disability. She is a member of the Lane College Alumni Association, Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority Incorporated, and serves as president of the women's ministry at West Bemis Missionary Baptist Church. Ellison values faith, family, integrity, compassion, respect, service to others, and treating people with dignity.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Lakendra
01What do you attribute your success to?
It all goes back to my sister. As a child I helped care for her and she had a disability, which prepared me for working with adults and kids with disabilities today. I love seeing the individuals achieve milestones, like helping one family get a handicap tub and sink installed.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
Never stop learning, always remain flexible, and treat everyone with respect. People will always remember how you treated them.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
Believe in yourself, know your worth, never be afraid to use your voice, set goals for yourself, and don't allow setbacks or opinions of others to determine how far you can go. I started providing direct care in a group home and now I'm a supervisor for the state.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
When individuals who have lived with parents all their lives have a parent who becomes hospitalized or unable to care for them, we have to work on different living arrangements and transition them to other resources or programs.
05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
Faith, family, integrity, compassion, respect, service to others, treating people with dignity, and always doing what's right even when people aren't watching.
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