youth mentors

Justine Conley was born in Brevard, North Carolina. The CEO and principal consultant of J Conley Consulting is a nationally sought-after corporate trainer, motivational speaker and transformational life coach.

An advocate at heart, Justine served AARP for 6 years as the Associate State Director of North Florida. As a liaison to the community she managed a team of more than 50 volunteers. Upholding the mission and vision of AARP, completing her assignment Justine retired in August of 2022.

Justine has also served as a program manager for Orion’s Mind, a supplemental afterschool program for youth in underserved communities in Chicago to help them improve their core skills. Justine recruited, trained and managed the teachers for 2 inner-city schools.

For 19 years, Justine served as the vice president of multicultural initiatives of the Midwest division– which consisted of 12 states. An international ministry organization whose mission is to help youth navigate adolescence while bringing Christ to kids.

In addition to being a certified life coach, Justine holds a BA in Sociology from Berea College, an MA in Leadership (in progress) from Fuller Theological Seminary, and extensive leadership development through Leadership Jax.

Ordained in 2014 at Rock of Our Salvation Church in Chicago, IL. Justine has served in many leadership capacities in local churches in every community she has been a part of. Currently, Justine is a servant at Excel Church in Jacksonville, FL – Derrick and Zelphia Raines are her pastors.

She is the parent of 2 adult children Cameron Conley and Tonicia Gayle and grandmother to Luke Gayle who is the light of her life. Justine loves nature, is an avid traveler and loves meeting new people. Her life’s mission is to help people discover who they are in their special uniqueness and how to leverage those characteristics to live the life that they desire.

People have asked me, "What's your story? Why do you do what you do? Why did you start The Simmons Empowerment Foundation Inc. (TSEFI) to serve unwed, teen moms?" Well, here's my answer. My story. My why.

By the way, TSEFI has vacancies on our board of directors. No matter where you are in the world, you can get involved. Our board meetings are held virtually, and there are many tasks and projects that we have that can be completed remotely. So, your location is not an issue. To learn more about our organization and the qualifications and expectations of board membership, check out TSEFI's board prospectus HERE.

If interested in applying for board membership, the link is at the bottom of the last page of the prospectus. We look forward to the possibility of working with you to support unwed, teen moms.

It's our 100th episode, y'all!

Dr. Elle Akaho is a British-Ghanaian Child and Adult Psychiatrist. She graduated as a Medical Doctor in 2011 and has more than ten years of experience in the mental health field. She has a special interest in neurodevelopmental conditions, particularly autism and ADHD, and works for both the National Health Service and a not-for-profit assessment service. Dr. Elle is also a mentor, a sponsor of young girls abroad, and a Personal Performance Coach for women and girls. She is passionate about personal growth, overcoming difficult circumstances, access to education and career opportunities, and having deep conversations. You can find her at www.ellementescoaching.com and @elleversation on Instagram.

Welcome to the last month of 2023! I'm so ready for this year to end. As much as I am looking forward to 2024, my focus is on preparing for the blessings that God has promised me. Are you ready for your "next"? Listen to this and get ready for a major mindset shift!

P.S. In addition to our podcast having global listeners, we're now streaming our podcast episodes on our YouTube Channel with the same name, Empowered Heart to Heart.

Find out how Christopher Reeves, a former student of Shoemaker High School in Killeen, Texas, is making a difference in the students' lives at his alma mater.