Stepping Into Purpose: My Journey to Generation Hope

I am beyond excited to share that I have stepped into a new role as the Director of Innovation & Learning at Generation Hope, an organization that is transforming higher education by pushing policy and practice toward equity for student parents across the country.

Generation Hope works at the intersection of systems change and student success, partnering with colleges and universities to ensure that student parents have equitable access to higher education, the support to persist, and the opportunity to thrive. This is not just about programs. It is about shifting institutions so they truly work for those who have too often been left to navigate them alone.

This mission is deeply aligned with my career long commitment to equity in education and workforce pathways, but it is also profoundly personal.

I am the daughter of a former student parent.

When my mother returned to college after having my older brother, she did not do it alone. She had family and community support that made it possible for her to persist. Because of that support, she earned her bachelor’s degree in the 1970s, unlocking a level of economic mobility that changed the trajectory of our entire family.

Her journey shaped everything.

It instilled in me a belief that education is not just an individual achievement. It is a collective investment. It is the reason my brother and I both went on to pursue and complete graduate and doctoral degrees. It is the reason I have dedicated my life’s work to expanding access and reimagining systems for those who deserve more.

Now, I have the privilege of doing that work alongside a team that is leading this movement nationally.

I am especially proud to serve under the fearless leadership of Nicole Lynn Lewis, our trailblazing CEO and President, whose vision and advocacy continue to push the field forward in powerful ways.

And in just my second week, I had the incredible opportunity to attend and speak at HOPE 2026.

What an experience!

Being in community with practitioners, policymakers, and institutional leaders, all committed to removing barriers for student parents, was both grounding and energizing. But what moved me most was connecting with Generation Hope’s parent scholars and their families.

Their tenacity is nothing short of extraordinary.

They are navigating coursework, parenting, work, and life, often all at once, while still showing up with brilliance, determination, and vision for their futures. And what is clear is this. Generation Hope is not just a resource. It is a family. A community that surrounds student parents with the support, advocacy, and belief they deserve.

One of the most powerful moments of the conference was the closing plenary from Dr. Miguel Cardona, the 12th U.S. Secretary of Education under the Biden Administration, who reminded us all: “Student parents have superpowers.”

I could not agree more. Their resilience, their clarity of purpose, and their commitment to building better futures, not just for themselves, but for their children, represent the very best of what education can and should uplift.

I am deeply grateful to be part of this change making team and this growing movement.

Because when we invest in student parents, we are not just supporting individuals. We are transforming families, institutions, and generations to come.