Founder of The Black Health Academy
About
What was your first step after undergraduate graduation & how did it impact your career path? I
mmediately after undergrad I worked as a social worker for the State of Michigan as a foster care worker for 4 years.
What are you doing today?
Today I’m a full time entrepreneur. I’m a plant based health and business coach and professional speaker specializing in taking a whole food plant based approach to combating chronic lifestyle disease for marginalized communities. I’m the creator of the first plant based coaching certification, The Plant Protocol™, to be founded by a person of color.
How do you use your psychology undergraduate experience in your work?
I use my degree DAILY in my work as a health and business coach because our clients often have limiting beliefs and unhealthy self images which prevent them from being successful. A great coach studies and prioritizes the psychological state of their clients and addresses it consistently. I use cognitive behavioral coaching techniques in my programs.
What inspired you to enter that field/job/profession? What excites you most about the future of your profession?
The data showing the astronomical number of people of color disproportionately battling lifestyle disease and succumbing to premature death inspired me to start The Black Health Academy. What excites me the most is the direction plant based nutrition is heading and our intent on creating collaborative care teams with healthcare providers to provide a higher quality of healthcare to people of color.
What advice do you have for students getting a degree in the UM Psychology Department or considering your profession?
My advice would be to really think outside of the box when exploring careers and ways you can put your degree to use. Psychology is needed in EVERY field that deals with humans so really think through creative ways you can utilize your understanding of human psychology to influence an industry/sector.
What was your favorite experience while studying in the UM Psychology Department?
My favorite experiences were always real world exposure. I remember doing a short internship at an organization responsible for designing personality tests and learning the science behind writing questions to uncover parts of an individual, super cool:)
