In Conversation
Lourdes Fabian for Bold. Brilliant. Unstoppable.
Read the transcript
Lourdes I. Fabian: Speaker: Lourdes I. Fabian, Owner and Head Coach, Thrive Track and Field ClubWhat does being an Influential Woman mean to you?Lourdes I. Fabian: What does being an influential woman mean to me? Well, I think it is doing more than the average, because that is something that truly makes you happy. It is walking in fear, yet, showing up as brave as can be because it's for the greater good. It is being selfless. It is being self-sufficient, yet enriched by so many other people because you. Have a gift or you have a need or a willingness to help lend a hand, teach or learn all at the same time. Being an influential woman means that you are the greatest version of yourself, while still working on different levels of excellence.What's one piece of advice you would give to younger women chasing their dreams?Lourdes I. Fabian: One piece of advice I would like to give younger women chasing their dreams is definitely: To encapsulate yourself with your dream. Do things outside of yourself. Challenge your mind, your body, your spirit. Always stay grounded in your values though. But go beyond what society measures success. And keep thriving no matter what. Because even if all the walls press against you, and it feels like it will never be something that you can accomplish, when you have the mindset of infinity and beyond. You never give up. You stay hopeful. When I say stay grounded, you stay grounded in your values, in your family, in your center, in your peace. That may be your, your faith, your relationship with God, your relationship with your parents, your mother, your brother, your sister, your father, your friends. But you chase your dream no matter what and if you find yourself paused because of life, becoming a, a single parent, being married, having a sick parent, Other responsibilities that make you put them down for a bit. Always challenge your mindset and saying, what if I could be the first? What if this isn't the first time this has happened to someone? What if I'm just as great? And challenge yourself. You never know where you will be or who you will become Unless you lose a little bit of the idea of who you are. So chase your dreams. Never relinquish the thought that what you want for yourself is possible.
Her Story
About Lourdes
Lourdes I. Fabian is the founder of Push & Thrive LLC, doing business as Thrive Track & Field Club, where she serves as Owner and Head Coach. She oversees program development, athlete training, event coordination, and community engagement while fostering a safe, inclusive, and performance-driven environment. An accomplished former All-American athlete and Army marathon runner, Lourdes combines her passion for athletics with a broader commitment to youth development, leadership, and community service. In addition to coaching, Lourdes is an experienced case management and child advocacy professional. She began her case management career in August 2016 as a Care Manager in New Jersey. Her experiences as a new mother advocating for her children within the school system, along with her earlier work as an addictions counselor, strengthened her passion for helping individuals and families overcome challenges and reach their full potential. Lourdes holds a master’s degree in Child Advocacy and Policy from Montclair State University and a bachelor’s degree in Sociology from William Paterson University of New Jersey. She is currently pursuing a master’s degree in Rehabilitation Counseling at Alabama State University as a grant recipient.
Her professional background includes bilingual case management, family support, child advocacy, parent coaching, education, crisis intervention, and service coordination for vulnerable children and families. At Global Refuge, she provided culturally responsive, trauma-informed case management while coordinating resources related to education, physical and mental health, immigration, and other essential needs. Lourdes is also a U.S. Army Reserve and Army National Guard veteran with nearly 18 years of service. She held several leadership positions, including Training NCO, Squad Leader, and Supply Sergeant, developing extensive experience in training, operational readiness, administration, compliance, and emergency response. As a disabled veteran and advocate, she is especially passionate about supporting underserved youth, veterans, and families.
Her long-term vision is to establish transitional homes and a comprehensive community care center that provides specialized services and meaningful resources to people navigating major life transitions. Through athletics, case management, advocacy, and community leadership, Lourdes remains committed to empowering others, creating opportunities, and making a lasting difference in the communities she serves.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Lourdes
01What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to tenacity, persistence, patience, and passion, along with a genuine commitment to serving others. Throughout my life and career, I have learned to view unexpected challenges and opportunities as stepping stones that have brought me closer to my purpose: advocating for individuals, strengthening communities, and helping others recognize their potential.
My experiences as a mother, advocate, military service member, athlete, case manager, and coach have taught me the importance of resilience, adaptability, and perseverance. I do not define success solely by titles, accomplishments, or recognition. To me, success is measured by the positive impact I make and whether the people I encounter are better prepared, more confident, and better equipped to move forward because I was there.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
The best career advice I have ever received is to “fall forward,” a philosophy that deeply resonates with me. I have learned that failure, disappointment, and unexpected changes do not necessarily mean I am moving backward. Sometimes, they are redirecting me toward a greater purpose.
Becoming a mother at a young age, advocating for my child through mental health challenges, serving in the military, continuing my education, and building my career have all required resilience and perseverance. These experiences taught me that growth often comes through adversity and that setbacks can expand rather than diminish our potential.
The goal is not to avoid every fall. It is to make sure that when life knocks me down, I continue moving forward—falling in the direction of the person I am becoming.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
My advice to young women entering this industry is to start small, remain consistent, and stay committed to becoming the best version of yourself. You do not need an impressive title, a large business plan, or a perfectly mapped out future to begin pursuing your purpose. Sometimes, it starts with the desire to grow, serve others, and do meaningful work that genuinely matters to you.
I encourage young women to pursue careers that align with their values and passions rather than measuring success solely by money, status, or recognition. There will be seasons when the rewards are not immediately visible, but meaningful careers are built through persistence, relationships, continuous learning, and service.
Most importantly, understand that your path may change, and that does not mean your dreams have ended. My journey has taught me that unexpected circumstances can redirect us toward opportunities and purposes we never imagined. Remain resilient, continue moving forward, and trust that a different path can still lead to a meaningful and successful life.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
I see some of the greatest challenges in my field as opportunities to redesign systems so they can better serve the people who depend on them. I am particularly passionate about supporting justice involved youth, who often return to their communities without adequate housing, mental health care, mentorship, education, or continued support. There is a significant opportunity to develop transitional homes and comprehensive programs that provide stability, guidance, and a stronger foundation for young people rebuilding their lives.
As a disabled veteran, I am equally committed to supporting my fellow battle buddies and veterans in general, including disabled veterans who face barriers when accessing health care, rehabilitation, mental health services, benefits, employment assistance, and other essential resources. One of my long term vision includes developing a community care center that brings together mental health counseling, physical therapy, acupuncture, rehabilitation, benefits assistance, and other specialized services in an environment designed around veterans’ needs.
Through coaching and the work of my organization, I am continuing to build toward a broader mission of serving youth, veterans, and families affected by mental health challenges, disabilities, and involvement with the juvenile justice system. For me, the greatest opportunity is to transform personal experience into meaningful advocacy and create practical solutions that help people overcome barriers, recognize their potential, and build more stable and fulfilling futures.
05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
The values that are most important to me in both my work and personal life are faith, compassion, perseverance, family, service, integrity, and self care. My faith provides the foundation that keeps me grounded through uncertainty. It reminds me to approach every person with empathy and to recognize their potential beyond the challenges they may be facing.
I believe in meeting people where they are, advocating for their needs, and helping them develop the tools and confidence to move forward. My experiences as a mother, advocate, coach, disabled veteran, and human services professional have taught me that compassion must be paired with determination. They have also shown me that caring for others requires caring for myself.
Self care is essential to sustaining meaningful service because we cannot continually support families, children, athletes, veterans, and communities without taking time to restore ourselves. Whether I am advocating for a child, coaching an athlete, supporting one of my fellow battle buddies, or caring for my family, I strive to lead with faith, empathy, integrity, and a genuine commitment to helping others become the best versions of themselves.
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