Today we’d like to introduce you to Joyce Mayberry.
Hi Joyce, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
My work experience had always been in for-profit organizations as a tech/helpdesk manager. That’s up until I decided to volunteer for a nonprofit that helped women recovering from drugs and alcohol become self-sufficient through the organization’s corporate social responsibility practice. That was the only taste I needed to know I belonged in the non-profit world! From there, I went to work for that non-profit. From that point on I made it a point to only work for organizations that gave back to the community. I learned so much through that change.
Not too long after that, I began working at the Georgia Center for Opportunity as a program coordinator helping to coordinate a grant whose sole purpose was to strengthen families through providing couples relationship enrichment.
Today, 15 years later, I am the vice president of family for that same organization. Each day I am blessed to pursue what motivates me most — equipping families and organizations who support them with resources and tools to empower them to have healthy, thriving families!
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
In regard to my professional life, it has always been a challenge in getting people to recognize that prevention is key in so many areas, especially when building healthy families and relationships. Often, people either feel that taking part in a relationship workshop meant that they had a horrible relationship or family life, or they thought if they had been married for a long time they don’t need any tools or strategies. Unfortunately, if you think either of those things, a workshop is actually a good idea. I still have those challenges with people, but people soon take the workshop and are very grateful that they moved out of their own way.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
As vice president of family at GCO, I work to improve the ways we understand and work with families so that families can strengthen their relationships and function at their best. As a vision and mission of our organization we recognized that many people suffer as a result of being unable to access opportunity in their life. There are many factors or barriers that keep people from a flourishing life, and we are committed to addressing them. My Masters Degree is in human services with a focus on family studies along with my experience as a certified family life educator have set me up to address one of the foundational pieces that lead to a flourishing life, a healthy and thriving family.
Any big plans?
Since I have spent so many years working to strengthen families and educate them on healthy relationships, I have a desire to work in other areas where families are impacted. Everyone knows that work and family life are impacted by one another. Work and family have always been interdependent. What I mean by that is what happens at home affects work and what happens at work impacts the home. While I have no actual plans, I have a desire to make well-being part of our culture. My desire is to incorporate the five elements of well-being into regular conversations and work practices.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.foropportunity.org
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joycewhit/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/joycerw1
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joyce-mayberry-hsp-ms-cfle-378b0348/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/4eversrvhim
Image Credits
Corey Burres Georgia Center For Opportunity CoreyB@foropportunity.org Leno Alonso Davis (Photo of Principal for a day -standing next to sign) Lilburn Elementary School Lena.Davis@gcpsk12.org Luis Contreras (Photo at the Business Partner Recognition Luncheon holding award) Kaptura El Momento Michael Doyne Lilburn Middle School Michael.Doyne@gcpsk12.org Zachary Wills, Videographer (Photo of the panel on stage) http://www.zacharywill.com Contact Information: zachwillvfx@gmail.com Other photos were shot from cellphones
