Today we’d like to introduce you to Rickey And Laureal Anderson.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
Dr. Rickey was born and raised in Sanford, FL. He entered the United States Air Force (USAF) immediately after graduating from Seminole High School. He joined the USAF seeking opportunities to make a tremendous impact on the planet.
Throughout his 20-year career in the USAF, Dr. Rickey held leadership positions, gaining valuable experience culminating with the position of Commander while holding leadership positions in Information Technology (IT), Training & Instruction, and Community Service arenas. He also led efforts to organize community service and professional development opportunities for junior officers, designed Afghanistan network operation strategy, trained and mentored over 2000 Commissioned Officers, and participated in military operations that led to the first democratic election in Iraq. Coming from humble beginnings and having these opportunities inspired him to create a platform to help others make their impact on the world.
Dr. Laureal, originally from Madison, WI, joined the USAF by way of a Health Professions Scholarship to become a Women’s Health and Adult Nurse Practitioner. Personal experiences with medical personnel fueled her passion for Women’s Health, advocacy, and became her focus as a healthcare provider. Throughout her career in the USAF, she not only provided obstetric and gynecologic care to DoD beneficiaries in Colorado, Guam, and Georgia, she was a dedicated clinical preceptor for nurse practitioner students, an adjunct professor at the Air Force Academy, a Women’s Health subject matter expert, a Sexual Assault Medical Forensic Examiner, and a guest speaker/panelist for multiple conferences and college courses. Advocacy is at the core of her practice, inspiring her to create a platform that helps provide valuable wellness/health resources to those in need.
After retiring from the USAF, Drs. Rickey and Laureal co-founded the ALPHA Commission. This non-profit organization believes service doesn’t stop when the uniform comes off and is committed to serving our communities with the same dedication and integrity that defined our efforts in uniform. Our mission at ALPHA is to increase access to holistic wellness resources in underserved communities. Since our inception, we have partnered with medical facilities, religious organizations, colleges, community programs, and other non-profit organizations to continue to fulfill our mission and make a positive impact on society. These initiatives and partnerships have already yielded impacts in the arenas
of:
• Health Advocacy
• Domestic Violence Awareness
• Food Insecurity
• Mentorship
• Child Cancer Awareness
• College Scholarships
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
The road has been smooth, as we are surrounded by like-minded individuals who have walked the path to meet their specific needs, and we’ve learned a great deal along the way. These partnerships have allowed us to have a smooth start.
We’ve been impressed with ALPHA Comission, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
The ALPHA Commission is a non-profit organization that believes service doesn’t stop when the uniform comes off and is committed to serving our communities with the same dedication and integrity that defined our efforts in uniform. Our mission at ALPHA is to increase access to holistic wellness resources in underserved communities. Since our inception, we have partnered with medical facilities, religious organizations, colleges, community programs, and other non-profit organizations to continue to fulfill our mission and make a positive impact on society. These initiatives and partnerships have already yielded impacts in the arenas
of:
• Health Advocacy
• Domestic Violence Awareness
• Food Insecurity
• Mentorship
• Child Cancer Awareness
• College Scholarships
Where we are in life is often partly because of others. Who/what else deserves credit for how your story turned out?
There are so many individuals who have contributed to our success.
-Terry Vann, Dr. Rickey’s mother. She’s always modeled service and doing for others, from his childhood until now.
-Dr. Vanessa Guyton: Challenging us on our stragetic vision and continuously encouraging us throughout the challenging times.
-Jonathan Nazeer: Providing Dr. Laureal the opportunity to serve as a Board Chair and have a front row seat to learn how to manage a non-profit organization
-Our children: Providing us with the motivation to build a legacy and example of service for them to emulate.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.alphacommission.org
Image Credits
Avonne Photography
