I’m grateful for the journey that brought me from the foster care system to leading one of the most influential charitable organizations in America — and for the remarkable people who shaped my perspective and purpose along the way.
This photo was taken a year after I had — to my great surprise — become CEO of the fifth-largest United Way in the nation. That surprise came from a deep place: I was an orphan, a foster kid just trying to make it.
When I was studying social work at the University of Missouri–Columbia, United Way was something I read about in textbooks — not something I ever imagined I would one day lead. I joined the organization seven years earlier and rose through hard work, faith, and the favor of people who believed in me — including my predecessor, Gary Dollar, and countless volunteers whose commitment to community changed lives.
During my tenure, we rose from #5 to the #1 United Way in the nation, driven by a shared vision of inclusion, equity, and excellence. This particular evening marked the 20th Anniversary of the Charmaine Chapman Society, then the largest African American leadership giving initiative in the country. I was proud that we not only celebrated individuals giving at the $1,000 level, but also expanded the focus to include leadership donors giving $10,000 and beyond — while ensuring that our board reflected the full diversity of our community.
Pictured here are dear friends and partners in that journey — Ashley Edwards (now Harris), a rising star, along with her husband and her parents, Judge Jimmie and Stacy Edwards, Ruben and D’anne Shelton, and Johnny and Minga Furr, longtime champions of St. Louis philanthropy and models of grace and generosity.
Also present that night was Dr. Donald M. Suggs, publisher of the St. Louis American, one of our most ardent boosters and among the founding group of the Charmaine Chapman Society. His presence was a powerful reminder of the visionaries who helped pave the way for future generations of Black leadership and giving.
That same year, Dave and Thelma Steward made history with a $1 million investment in United Way — the first time a Black family had ever done so. It happened on my watch, as only the second Black CEO of an organization that had been around since the early 1900s. Their generosity and perspective deepened my understanding of what legacy and stewardship truly mean.
I remember standing there that night, smiling for this photo, but thinking about the boy who once felt invisible — the one who dreamed from the back of a foster home that maybe life could be different. In that moment, surrounded by leaders and friends, I realized that dreams can come true, but they require faith, favor, and people who see you before the world does.
That season taught me that leadership is more nuanced — it’s about learning from others, building meaningful connections, and being honest about what will truly take us — those of us who are on the margins — further. It’s about stewardship — about building something that lifts others higher than where you started.
Looking back, I’m grateful for the memory of this night — for the laughter, the unity, and the shared commitment to building something bigger than ourselves. Sometimes I long for those connections to feel as warm as they once were, but life moves us in new directions. What endures are the lessons, the love, and the legacy we leave behind.