Every Leadership Journey Has a Beginning
Before publishing my Resilience Tree™ books, I had the opportunity to contribute chapters to two collaborative leadership anthologies alongside inspiring authors from across the country. These projects allowed me to share my experiences as a higher education leader while developing the ideas that would eventually become the foundation of the Resilience Tree™ Leadership Framework.
These books remain an important part of my writing journey and continue to encourage readers pursuing leadership with authenticity, courage, and purpose.
The Footprint of Success: Stories of Impact from Leaders and Entrepreneurs
What kind of leadership legacy are you leaving behind?
This collaborative book brings together the stories of leaders and entrepreneurs who share lessons learned through experience, perseverance, and personal growth. Each chapter offers practical wisdom for building a meaningful career while making a lasting impact on others.
My Chapter: Advancing to Leadership as a Person of Color
In my chapter, I explore the challenges of navigating leadership as a person of color, including the experience of tokenism and the hidden pressures that often accompany being “the first” or “the only.”
I introduce early concepts that would later evolve into the Resilience Tree™ Leadership Framework, offering readers reflective questions and practical strategies for strengthening resilience, identifying supportive relationships, and growing their leadership capacity with intention.
This chapter serves as an early glimpse into the ideas that would later become the foundation of my leadership work.
Perfect for readers interested in:
- Leadership development
- Diversity, equity, and belonging
- Professional resilience
- Authentic leadership
- Career advancement
Published: 2020
Visionistas Volume 2: Women Who Think Outside the Box
Leadership begins when you find the courage to move differently.
This collaborative anthology brings together women from diverse backgrounds who share stories of overcoming obstacles, embracing their voices, and creating meaningful change. Each chapter offers encouragement for women who are ready to lead with authenticity, confidence, and purpose.
My Chapter: Leadership Lessons from Partnered Dance
My chapter explores the leadership lessons I discovered through partner dance—lessons that first gained national attention through my TEDx Talk, The Dance of Leadership.
What began as reflections on salsa and bachata as metaphors for leadership has since evolved into The Dance of Leadership™ Framework, a relational leadership framework that helps individuals and teams understand that leadership is not about control or hierarchy, but about partnership.
Through the lens of partner dance, I introduce ideas that continue to shape my work today:
- Leadership begins with invitation.
- Strong leadership is grounded in structure.
- Healthy partnerships require clear boundaries.
- Trust is built through authentic connection.
- Great leaders navigate change together.
Today, these concepts have expanded into The Dance of Leadership™ Framework, which uses the practices of Invitation, Footwork, Frame, Connection, and Turns to help leaders build trust, strengthen communication, and create more resilient teams.
Whether on the dance floor or in the workplace, leadership is never a solo performance.
Leadership isn’t choreography. It’s a conversation in motion.
Perfect for readers interested in:
- Leadership development
- Teamwork and collaboration
- Trust and communication
- Women’s leadership
- Personal growth through authentic relationships
Published: 2021
Together, These Books Tell the Beginning of the Story
These collaborative books represent the first published expressions of the two frameworks that now anchor my work.
- My chapter in The Footprint of Success introduced the early ideas that became the Resilience Tree™ Leadership Framework, helping leaders build resilience from the inside out.
- My chapter in Visionistas Volume 2 captured the leadership lessons from my TEDx Talk that have since grown into The Dance of Leadership™ Framework, demonstrating how trust, communication, and partnership shape effective leadership.
Today, these frameworks form the foundation of my speaking, coaching, workshops, and growing collection of books—helping leaders cultivate resilience, strengthen relationships, and create environments where people and organizations can flourish.
Explore the Resilience Tree™ Book Collection →
