From Teen Mom to Doctorate: Why I'm the Mentor You Never Had
My story isn’t perfect. It’s real. And that’s exactly why I can help you.
My Story
I never officially graduated from high school.
I was a teen mom in November of my senior year. I switched to night school where I ended up teaching the other students more than learning myself. Then my parents moved me to California abruptly before graduation, and I never received my diploma.
For years, I felt behind. Stuck. Like I’d never catch up to where I “should” be.
But I kept going.
At 25, I joined the Air Force — without a diploma, based solely on my transcript credits. The military gave me structure, purpose, and a path forward when I couldn’t see one.
I raised two daughters as a single mom while working my way through multiple careers — from Best Buy sales, to environmental database administrator to construction project management to education to program leadership. I started my bachelor’s degree at 30, earned my master’s at 40, and completed my doctorate in Special Education Curriculum and Instruction at 55.
Along the way, I also became a widow. I learned to manage survivor benefits, build financial security on a teacher’s salary, and create an investment portfolio while rediscovering myself.
I learned everything the hard way. I didn’t have mentors. I didn’t have people showing me the path. I figured it out through trial, error, and sheer determination.
And that's exactly why I can help you.
You can't transform your life if you're constantly anxious about money.
I watched myself and other women hold back from opportunities, stay in bad situations, and sabotage our own growth — all because of money fear.
And I realized: life coaching without money mindset work is incomplete. Money mindset work without life transition support is incomplete.
You need both.
That’s why BrightFi Living combines money mindset coaching with life transition — because real freedom comes when you have confidence in yourself AND your finances.
Education:
- EdD in Special Education Curriculum and Instruction — Liberty University, 2023
- MA in Education — University of Phoenix, 2016
- BS in Business Administration — University of Phoenix, 2004
Certifications:
- Master Life Coach — Transformation Academy
- Confidence Life Coach — Transformation Academy
- Empowerment Life Coach — Transformation Academy
- Self-Care Life Coach — Transformation Academy
Experience:
- 10+ years teaching in Florida and South Carolina school districts (Sumter, Florence, Williamsburg)
- Program Director, Salvation Army Boys & Girls Club
- Air Force Veteran
- Environmental Engineering
- Project Manager in construction and architecture industries
I don't do fake positivity. I don't do guru energy. I don't pretend I had it easy.
What I do:
- Tell you what you need to hear, not what you want to hear
- Share what actually worked (and what didn’t) from my own journey
- Combine mindset work with practical, actionable strategies
- Hold you accountable while supporting you with empathy
- Help you transform both your life AND your relationship with money
I am who I am in spite of, not because of.
And if I can go from teen mom without a diploma to Doctor of Education with financial security — you can achieve whatever goal you’re chasing.
Your story isn’t over. It’s just getting started.
Resilience, Purpose, and Lifelong Learning
I live in Middleburg, Florida. I’m a mother of two incredible daughters, four stepdaughters, and one stepson who’ve taught me as much as I’ve taught them. I’m a widow who learned to navigate financial independence while grieving. I’m an educator who believes in lifelong learning. And I’m a woman who knows what it’s like to feel invisible, behind, and overlooked — and still chose to keep going.
Ready to Work Together?
If my story resonates with you, let’s talk. Book a free 30-minute discovery call and let’s explore how I can help you transform your life and build money confidence.