Her Story
About Trellis
I have been a nurse for 23 years, starting in 2002 after the Lord called me to this profession. My journey into nursing was seamless - I entered nursing school as number 9 on the second waiting list, and within days, the nursing program director called asking if I'd be ready to start in 2 weeks. For the past 14 years, I have served as a Clinical Case Manager Director, where I develop departmental systems, initiate training classes, develop training programs and processes, and oversee the workload of 25 nurses and clinical support staff. My most notable professional achievement is my leadership role to enhance the well-being of the patients and families I serve, as well as my coworkers and colleagues. Beyond my clinical work, I am a global empowerment speaker and Amazon best-selling author. I have been nominated three times as one of the 100 most global influential leaders to watch in 2024, 2025, and 2026, and was recognized as number 5 on the Power 100 list by the Glambitious organization last year. I am passionate about mentoring the next generation through the NAACP ACTSO program, where I work with high school students in oratory, creative writing, short stories, and poetry.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Trellis
01What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to knowing my purpose and my belief as a daughter of God, Most High God, and just walking in my purpose. It was about finding out what that was, and then taking the steps to execute that. My uncle nicknamed me Professor when I was a preteen because I always achieved high, excellent marks academically, and he told me I was going to be a nurse or a doctor. I was in leadership and customer service before, but it was satisfying, but not really satisfying. I knew the Lord had called me to be a nurse, and I just finally did it in 2002.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
The best career advice I've ever received is to just be authentically you. Make sure you serve in excellence and that people associate your name with excellence. It's about staying true to who you are while maintaining the highest standards in everything you do.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
I would say, stay disciplined and stay focused. Make sure that you're entering the field to make a difference, and not a paycheck. Although it pays very well, if you're there to get a paycheck, you will get burnout because you're not there for the right reason. You have to be driven by the desire to serve and make an impact, not just by the financial rewards.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
The biggest challenge in my field is keeping that balance between the human side and the business side. The outcomes that families want for their loved ones may not be what is accomplishable at the time, and explaining that process to them while making sure that I stay emotionally intelligent is critical. Emotions run high, especially when there's an episode of illness with a loved one and a family, so maintaining that emotional intelligence while navigating difficult conversations is one of the most challenging aspects of what I do.
05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
The values most important to me are walking in excellence and serving in excellence, because it's not something that you do - it's who you are. First and foremost, I believe in remembering that in whatever position you hold, whether it's teaching, mechanic, or whatever you do, you're a servant first. Excellence is not just an action but an identity, and service is at the core of everything I do.
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