Her Story
About Tamara
With over 13 years of dedicated service at the YMCA of Greater Kalamazoo, I have built a career centered on youth development, mentorship, and community impact. Beginning as a Youth Supervisor, I have grown into a leadership role as Director, now overseeing all middle school programming while also supporting high school youth engagement initiatives.
A graduate of Western Michigan University (Class of 2008) with a Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice, I initially pursued a career in law enforcement. However, a passion for advocacy and holistic support led to a shift toward counseling and youth development. This calling inspired the pursuit of a dual Master’s degree at Walden University, focusing on Clinical Mental Health Counseling and School Counseling. While actively seeking internship opportunities to complete this academic journey, I continues to apply counseling-informed practices in everyday work with youth and families.
In their current role, I lead a wide range of impactful programs designed to empower and uplift young people. These initiatives include Youth and Government, Young Men Thriving (a mentorship program for boys), Middle School Night Outs that provide parents with meaningful respite, and the management of a thriving teen center. Additionally, [Your Name] oversees a Middle School Summer Camp and is developing pathways for former campers to return in leadership roles, fostering a cycle of mentorship and growth with the goal of preparing future camp counselors.
Looking ahead, I am working to expand programming into additional YMCA locations, broadening access and increasing opportunities for youth across the community. Their work is grounded in a commitment to mental health awareness, creating safe and supportive spaces, and building strong foundations that allow young people to envision and achieve brighter futures.
Beyond professional responsibilities, Im a proud member of Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Incorporated, and finds the greatest personal fulfillment in family. A defining moment of pride was witnessing their child earn a $40,000 scholarship—an achievement that reflects the values of perseverance, excellence, and ambition that I strive to instill both at home and in the community. My child’s acknowledgment of being inspired to aim higher stands as a powerful testament to my lifelong commitment to leadership and impact.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Tamara
01What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
I feel like our economic world is just not where it needs to be. I feel like it's more about who you know and who can get you there versus the opportunities that are publicized. A lot of places lost funding, and even my program that I run was getting grant funds from the state and we were cut by 77%. There's just not a lot out there. I have an internship that I'm still pending to be fulfilled for my counseling degree, but it is just really hard to complete that internship because there are no paid internships available and there are no unpaid internships available in my area for counseling. Our employee world is not where we want it to be, and AI has kind of taken over a lot of everybody's roles. I have to still work and try to complete it, but I can't cut my revenue by picking up an unpaid internship because I wouldn't be able to make life work. I work two and a half jobs right now, so I'm full-time at the place that I'm at, I'm part-time at another place, and then I do hair. I'm already stretching myself very thin.
02What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
I don't do things for the accolades, I do things because that's what I'm supposed to do, and I just feel like if it fits right with my spirit, I just do. I'm an advocate for injustices and also an advocate for law enforcement. I was one of the key component people who bridged barriers in my area, and I just wanted peaceful outcomes but also understanding and bridge barriers between law enforcement and the black and brown community. I just love giving back. I think that it's just really my thing. I find ways to enjoy the things that I love through work, doing the things that I love with my children, like my groups that I oversee. I teach girls how to braid hair, I teach them how to upkeep their hygiene, and I take my summer camps bowling. One of my goals is to keep children out of the streets and create safe spaces where they can hang out and know they're safe. I love Sunday dinners, which is probably the one thing that I keep consistent with. That is the one day of the week that I find myself with my children, putting the phones down, and we sit at the table and we actually spend time together.
Keep Exploring
More Influential Women · Michigan
Join Influential Women and start making an impact. Register now.