Mindy Barnette, MBA

I attribute my success to resilience, empathy, and the willingness to pursue opportunities that allow me to make a meaningful impact. When Hurricane Ida devastated my community in 2021, I saw a need and took action by using my background in construction and HR management to help rebuild homes alongside my husband. That experience strengthened my passion for serving others and opened the door to a new path in education. After discovering my love for teaching, I became licensed and began working with students at the middle school level before transitioning to an alternative school, where I built meaningful connections with students who often felt overlooked or misunderstood. I learned that genuine listening, compassion, and meeting students where they are can create opportunities for growth and success. Today, I continue to combine my passion for education, mentorship, and project management as I help guide students toward their GED goals and financial literacy while also developing the Combat Lab, an entertainment and civic center designed to bring families, youth, first responders, and the community together. Throughout my journey, including earning two master’s degrees online, navigating major life changes, and overcoming challenges, I remained committed to my purpose. I believe success comes from perseverance, staying true to your values, and having the empathy and dedication to make a difference in the lives of others.

The best advice I have ever received is simple yet transformative: You can do anything you truly put your mind to. I have lived my life by this principle, allowing it to fuel my multi-passionate skill sets and give me the confidence to step into completely new industries. As an educator and a mother, passing this mindset forward is my absolute highest calling. I share this truth daily with my students and my own children because I want them to understand that talent is only the beginning—relentless belief in your own capability is what turns a massive vision into a reality.

I would encourage young women entering the education field to recognize that it takes a special kind of person to make a lasting impact. Education is not just about teaching lessons; it is about building relationships, showing empathy, and truly understanding the students you serve. My greatest breakthroughs with students have come from simply listening, showing that I care, and taking the time to understand the reasons behind their actions. Every student has a story, and behaviors often reflect deeper challenges or needs that may not be immediately visible. I encourage educators to look beyond labels, listen with compassion, and create an environment where students feel valued, supported, and understood. When students know you genuinely care, that is when real growth and transformation can happen.

The greatest challenge I face daily is the compressed timeline I have to impact my students' lives. Working within the alternative school system means I don't typically have the same faces all year—students cycle in and out on 45-to-90-day placements. Building immediate trust and making a genuine breakthrough with some of our hardest-to-reach kids in such a short window is incredibly tough. However, this challenge fuels my drive for future growth. I have just recently transitioned from the alternative middle school level to the alternative high school level, which has been an amazing step. Looking forward, I would love the opportunity to eventually transition from the alternative school setting into one of the primary area high schools if the need and calling arises, giving me a broader platform to mentor older students and actively teach the next generation of local innovators, builders, and thinkers.

Honesty, compassion, self-worth, and kindness are the pillars of everything I do. I firmly believe that nothing is worth having if you cannot achieve it honestly. In my work with alternative school youth, compassion is my greatest tool. Without it, these kids are written off as just 'behavior problems.' It takes deep compassion to build a bridge to their hearts and help them navigate the root causes of their struggles.

My sense of self-worth came from a deeply personal journey. After overcoming poor self-esteem years ago, I learned that the value of my life's work belongs entirely to me. I fulfill that worth by helping others step into their potential—from the students in my classroom and the children in my home, to the local families we are serving by developing a safe, multi-generational recreation asset. Because I faced bullying in my youth, kindness is something I refuse to compromise on. I live by the golden rule, striving to spread kindness everywhere I go to combat bullying and leave this world a brighter place than I found it