Staff Spotlight-Stephanie D.

Q: Why do you enjoy working with women or in the recovery community?

A: I enjoy working with women because I think our biggest joys come from how regularly we spend time with other powerful and strong women. We, as humans, love to connect and are social beings and I love being witness to our women opening up and navigating girlhood together in the recovery community.

Q: What do you bring to Our Hope?

A: I bring a lens of working with the education field and navigating social and emotional learning skills for students. Although I am more used to working with youth services, I bring a creative and positive way to engage in group learning with my background in criminal justice. I have previously mentored adolescents who struggle with addiction in their communities and families and how that disrupts their education and development.

Q: What is one fun fact about you?

A: When I was 9 years old, I got on the front page of the Cadillac newspaper for surviving a rainstorm while camping with my family. You can look it up; it's probably from 2008 or something. I am also part of the Documenter's program with The Rapidian, which means I get to show up to public meetings in our local government and collect raw journalism.

Q: Anything else you’d like to add?

A: I am really grateful I get to show up authentically myself and encourage women to be their best selves and show up authentically too!