Yolanda has worked with Children, Youth & Families for over 20 years. She was one of the key leaders and project directors for California’s Statewide Initiative to Reduce Youth Violence. During her tenure, she received several awards from the California State Senate and California Attorney General for her accomplishments and commitment.

Yolanda spent the last five years of her career in Los Angeles at Loyola Marymount University (LMU) where her professionalism, work ethics, contributions and leadership led to the honor of receiving an honorary membership for Kappa Delta Pi awarded by LMU’s Graduate School of Education.

Upon moving to Chicago in 2009, she worked at Loyola University Chicago for three years, and then transitioned back into working with community and school initiatives. In 2018, Yolanda was an awardee of the Acting Up Awards through Chicago Community Trust. She was awarded for her efforts to empower young women and raise awareness of mental health.

Yolanda has trained, coached, supervised and mentored numerous individuals in various capacities. She speaks, she writes, she inspires and she leads.

Yolanda is a mother of two adult children and three grandchildren; her daughter is a Howard University alum and currently is a Reading Interventionist for Chicago Public Schools; and her son is a graduate student at Mount Saint Mary’s University, Los Angeles. Yolanda loves the Arts and recently production company as co-owner, and has produced/co-directed two phenomenal original stage plays.