Hope graduated Magna Cum Laude from Western New Mexico University in 2023 with a Master’s of Social Work degree. She began working in child welfare through volunteer mentoring while in college, but her initial exposure began as a child growing up in foster care.
She is deeply passionate about helping vulnerable populations like children and youth in foster care, the homeless, those in poverty, young mothers, and domestic violence, sexual abuse, and human trafficking survivors feel a sense of belonging and empowerment. Despite being an introvert, Hope wakes up each day motivated to help youth enhance their voice, begin healing, and become more aware of their worth and value.
She has been a Certified Life Coach with the local nonprofit, Fostering Great Ideas for youth in foster care for the past six years. She has also been a Peer Support Youth Engagement Advocate (YEA!) Member with South Carolina Department of Social Services for the past three years, was the South Carolina representative for YLI with the Jim Casey Youth Opportunities Initiative in 2021, and has co-designed many Annie E. Casey Foundation workgroup retreats involving child welfare reform.
Prior to nonprofit work, Hope worked at a behavioral health center as a mental health associate and co-facilitated parenting classes and supervised visitations within families.
