Speaking
Do you have an event, conference or training in need of electricity and excitement? Then you have landed in the right place! I have a passion for providing inspiration to groups of people, and the random person on the elevator.
Themes:
Passion and Purpose– Have your employees lost that spark or desire? Is there a group that you are working with who has never been inspired? I love to share my personal stories (good and bad) infuse them with large doses of humor and get people back to living life. I’ve known since the days of playing Batman in the backyard that I would live out my life helping others. There is no greater way to help an individual than to help them find their passion and purpose.
“Passion is energy. Feel the power that comes from focusing on what excites you.” —Oprah Winfrey
Perseverance or Grit– Perseverance is defined as, steadfastness in doing something despite difficulty or delay in achieving success. Grit is defined as, courage and resolve; strength of character. Regardless of the terminology, or how you define it, I’ve been fortunate or stubborn enough to have this quality in my life. It has helped me navigate dark times, tragedy, mistakes, and tough decisions. You don’t get to be the formerly homeless kid, who grows up to run a homeless shelter without a whole lot of grit.
“Gritty people train at the edge of their comfort zone. They zero in on one narrow aspect of their performance and set a stretch goal to improve it.” – Angela Duckworth
Innovation– Whether you are in the for-profit, non-profit, or public sector innovation is critical to your survival. How can you climb outside of the boxed in thinking pattern of your industry or culture? One example of innovation can be found here.
“Innovation distingushes between a leader and a follower.” – Steve Jobs
Homelessness– I currently serve as the Executive Director of a homeless shelter. In this experience, I have innovated programming and become a “disruptor” in the sector. In addition to my experience leading a homeless shelter, I also have lived experience, spending six months of my childhood homeless. I know firsthand the impact that homelessness and poverty can have on someone. If you work with those experiencing homelessness or poverty I would love to come inspire them. If your agency works with these populations we should discuss programming and creativity.
https://www.facebook.com/AlexAlecciWx/videos/1807910472830819/
Podcast Interview about homelessness, stigmas, and sterotypes
Juvenile Justice– I spent four years working with juveniles for the State of Iowa at the Iowa State Training School. How did I end up starting there? I took a course during my undergrad called Correctional Treatment and Counseling. This course allowed us to put together a case plan for an adult offender. In my first taped interview with the adult offender, he started crying during that initial interview. My professor listened to the tape and said, “you need to work with juvenile delinquents.” I started as an intern at the Training School and was hired before finishing my degree. In my time at the training school, I worked with young men who attempted suicide in many different ways. I listened to these young men share stories of being branded with hot wire hangers by foster parents, being beaten with belts, being forced into gangs and being locked in closets for days by their parents. As a recovering juvenile delinquent myself, this experience was profound and has greatly impacted my perception of these young men.
“I think it’s important for us as a society to remember that the youth within juvenile justice systems are, most of the time, youths who simply haven’t had the right mentors and supporters around them – because of circumstances beyond their control.”- Q’orianka Kilcher
Child Welfare– I have spent years working in and around the child welfare system. This includes doing work directly in the homes with children and families formerly involved with Child Protective Services. In addition to this formal experience, there has been a great deal of overlap from my other social services experience.
Honors
John C Maxwell Transformational Leadership Award Top 100 (2017 & 2018)
Ten Outstanding Young Omahans (2017)
Midlands Business Journal 40 under 40 (2017)
Community Star Award (2015)