Naeemah's Story
From reaching up to reaching back
I help my clients to find creative solutions. Whether that's breaking through the barriers that hold you in place, or building the pathways that unlock potential in your employees and your organization. I benefitted from countless hands reaching out to help me create a transformational life experience. Now I get to use my diversity of experience to be the hand that pulls you up!
I spent much of my childhood afraid. Bullies, drugs, gangs, and teenage pregnancy were commonplace, and the escape path was throwing a ball. But I was a girl.
I was lucky. My parents were clear and consistent: education was the only way "out". So I hid in corners devouring my beloved books. I took extra math classes instead of gym. And my mom taught me to take advantage of every available tool. Upward Bound gave me college prep, access to summer jobs, and weekly SAT prep. Silas Parnell (a community activist / angel) helped me and thousands of other south side kids to pay for application fees and college expenses.
And then I got into Harvard. After my sophomore year, Mr Parnell helped me secure a job in the national Upward Bound office in DC. I spent a year lobbying congress, trotting my 19-year-old self into the office of every education aid who would give me time. And I learned how difficult it is for these programs to do what they do. I returned to school with a renewed sense of what it means to matter in the world.
After graduating with a degree in psychology and a passion for theatre, I spent a few years performing on Boston stages. I toured with the American Repertory Theatre, helped to build Zeitgeist Stage Company, won performance awards (Elliott Norton, IRNE, Best of Boston), and eventually even directed a few shows. These years laid the foundation for later work in presence and confidence.
Single motherhood forced me to lean into resiliency and build a career that would sustain my family, but also use my diverse experience. I spent the next years provided coaching/ mentorship/ and advisory, while building corporate solutions (Continuity, Compliance, Info Security, Acquisitions, HR). There are many programs across my previous organization that bear my fingerprints, from the Talent Marketplace to the PIC high school development internship. I ran “And Introducing: YOU” (my public speaking workshop) 80 times over the past decade for an audience of over 4500 participants. And there are hundreds of former interns, early-career professionals, and colleagues who trace their career growth to my programs and our 1:1 engagement.
​I took advantage of opportunities, took big risks, and pivoted frequently through my career. Now I’m looking forward to sharing the benefits of my mobility with you.
