Elizabeth was born in Guyana, “the melting pot of the Caribbean”, and moved to the United States, at the age of eight. Because her parents who were ministers accepted a parsonage in the inner city of St Louis, Missouri. Shortly thereafter, the family moved to Shelby, Mississippi. After spending about a year in the cold, foreign climate where she was the youngest student in her class and failed a spelling bee because she spelled “neighbour” the way she had to spell it all her life. She and her family moved to Shelby, Mississippi in early 1974. The Church her parents pastored just “happened” to be on a street that marked the dividing line between the black and white communities. As a result, Elizabeth spent the formative years of her childhood and youth in the midst of the battle of the Civil Rights movement without being consciously aware of the battle that was raging around her.

Elizabeth has been serving all her life. Her parents are ministers and giving back is an important family value instilled from a young age. Our church careers began with working around the church, cleaning the toys, visiting the elderly and shut-in, weekly visits to nursing homes to sing songs for the residents and play games with them. During her teenage years, her family moved to Sarnia, Ontario, Canada. Giving Elizabeth the opportunity the live in her third country in her young life and providing her with yet another of cultural experiences. Elizabeth continued to volunteer during her high school year as a camp counselor at Forest Cliff, a camp for underprivileged children, up to six weeks each summer.

Elizabeth continued to work for under-served populations in many ways. She dedicated her professional career to working with under-served and at-risk children by obtaining a Bachelor’s of Science in Elementary Education with a Reading (K-Adult) Certification and a Master’s of Arts in Counseling Psychology (specializing in childhood disorders). She has worked as a Forensic Interviewer of child victims of sexual abuse and was certified as an Expert Witness in Kalamazoo County to testify in court in matters regarding victims of sexual abuse, substance abusers, or domestic abuse. Elizabeth spent four years working in a Domestic Violence shelter with children whose mothers’ had been victims of physical, emotional or sexual abuse in Kalamazoo, Michigan. Serving her community is a strongly held value for Elizabeth. She has lived this out in every community in which she has lived by doing things like volunteering for the Kalamazoo Foundation’s Fund Oversight Committee. Elizabeth chaired the Kalamazoo Community Mental Health Diversity Council as well as the Kalamazoo County Diversity Committee for over five years. She also sang in her church choir, taught children’s church, and assisted with youth group activities while in Kalamazoo.

Elizabeth is a member of the Isabella County Human Rights Committee and has been for nine years. She is a member of the Isabella County Roundtable for Diversity and Inclusion, the Mt Pleasant Bullying Prevention Taskforce, Mt Pleasant School District Strategic Planning Committee, the Michigan Alliance Against Hate Crimes, and the Prosperity Coalition. She is a very active member of the Board of Directors for Isabella Citizens for Health and Mid-Central Michigan Area Health Education Center. She is a licensedfoster parent through the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, for over 15 years. She has provided a safe haven for more than 20 children during that time. Elizabeth also owns her own business and provides individual and group counseling, parent training programs, diversity training, and consulting to the community.

She is actively involved in her church Thrive Church and works in the “Thrive Kidz Ministry” leading children’s groups, or working with the youth as needed. She is also a small group leader.