Today we’d like to introduce you to Latisha Howard.
Latisha, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
The week I was due to graduate high school, I found out I was pregnant. I became a teenage mother with only a high school diploma. At the age of twenty, I had my second child and worked in low-paying jobs. While working in a warehouse on the assembly line, I met a young lady with a similar story. We both began to motivate each other, and she found a program that paid the tuition for single parents to attend vocational courses. She went into the medical field, and I went into the criminal justice field.
The program was called “New Direction” at Seminole State College. Ironically, the program provided me with a new direction in life. I attended the Corrections Academy and became a Certified Corrections Officer. I began my career at Tomoka Correctional Institution, a Florida Department of Corrections prison. After working there for nearly four years, I started my career with my current agency, the Seminole County Sheriff’s Office. I have been employed with the agency for almost 23 years. I progressed through the leadership ranks and currently serve as a Captain assigned to the Correctional Facility. I hold a dual certification in corrections and law enforcement. Since starting my career with the agency, I have attended and graduated from several leadership programs including the National Jail Leadership Academy hosted by the American Jail Association and the Correctional Management Institute of Texas, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement Senior Leadership Program, and most recently, Leadership Seminole Class #31. I am a certified Florida Jail Inspector, Assessor for the Florida Corrections Accreditation Commission, certified instructor with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, and Certified Professional Career Coach. In December 2022, I obtained my Master’s Degree in Leadership.
I love to give back to the community and mentor young women with similar backgrounds. In 2000, I founded She Was Me Inc. It is a non-profit organization dedicated to making a difference in the community by educating, empowering, and inspiring women. Each year we provide scholarships to single mothers attending college or vocational courses. We also have several programs within the community, including backpack and turkey giveaways and adopt families for Christmas.
I also enjoy motivational speaking. I have been a keynote speaker for several events within the community. I speak on topics such as self-confidence, mental health, overcoming obstacles, and perseverance. I have also presented at local, state and national workshops on leadership topics. This year I had the opportunity to present on the topic of Managing Change in the Workplace in Horseshoe Bay Texas. The conference was attended by over five hundred women in Criminal Justice. This was absolutely an amazing feeling because a few years ago I was terrified of public speaking.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
In the beginning It was definitely not a smooth road. Some struggles included financial instability and, most of all low self-confidence. However, I had a great support from my parents, grandparents, and other family members.
My biggest obstacle was not believing in myself. I allowed the opinions of others to affect how I saw myself. I had to learn how to give myself grace and understand falling is not failure. I begin to love myself and in return started making better decisions. I discovered my WHY and it helped motivate me and made me into the woman I am today.
I am an example of it’s not how you start, but it’s about making better decisions for your future. My favorite quote is “She Believed She Could, So She Did”.
In my professional life I have always been blessed. I’ve had amazing supervisors and mentors who helped me accomplish my goals.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
My biggest accomplishment is being a parent to three amazing individuals. Because of them I knew failure was never an option. They gave me the drive and motivation to NEVER GIVE UP! I am also a proud grandmother of three and a wife to an amazing husband.
In my professional career I get the opportunity to mentor others and provide guidance that once was provided to me. I also have the opportunity to work in the community that I grew up in. Being able to give back and have a positive influence is very rewarding. I am proud of the impact I have on the community and assisting with the reintegration of inmates returning back to the community.
Do you have any memories from childhood that you can share with us?
My favorite childhood memory is Sunday dinners.
On Sundays, my grandmother would cook a big dinner, and all of the family would attend. Every Sunday felt like a family reunion. I am very family oriented, and thinking back on those days makes my heart smile.
Contact Info:
- Website: latishahoward.com and shewasme.com
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100087857285856&mibextid=LQQJ4d
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/latisha-howard-ms-cpcc-39448014
