So, I stayed busy with youth sports and afterschool programs such as the Boys and Girls Club, Shamrock, YMCA, and the Community Center. These places were a safe haven for me and allowed me the opportunity to be around positive influences, learn, have fun, play games, and interact with others.
After high school and following me taking care of my ailing father, I started my work career at AAA Central Penn in 2006 at an entry level position. Through hard work and perseverance, I’ve been able to climb the corporate latter to positions such as lead, supervisor, Manager, Director and now The Vice President, Automotive Services for the past two years. I currently oversee a department and team of over 200 people spread throughout Central Pennsylvania and the 9 counties we service.
I volunteer at the Central Penn Food Bank, Water Street Mission, and graduated from LHA (Leadership Harrisburg Area). I coached basketball, football, and baseball for over 15 years in the Harrisburg area with organizations such as the YMCA, MOSELF, CFA and Harrisburg High School Lady Cougars. I also help with my god brothers and his Danny Lansanah Foundation. In 2017, I formed my own non-profit organization, Educating Athletes Together, Inc (E.A.T.) to continue the mission of giving back to the youth in the community I come from, to be a positive role model, and being a father figure to so many who have single parent homes. I formed a girls AAU program, who traveled all over the East Coast and down South. We even won the USBA AAU Nationals in Charlotte, North Carolina in 2018 and brought the trophy back to Harrisburg, Pa! To date, I have over 15 girls who came up through my program who have either graduated or are still in college. I always wanted to coach and mentor the youth so I can give back to the community that gave so much to me.
When I was a young man, I had so many community members who I looked up to and helped mode me into the man I am today. Some of those coaches, father/mother figures and mentors gave me hope, when I felt like giving up. I would be remiss if I didn’t mention some of their names. Dez Mangus, Anthony Britton, Greg Campbell, Winsome Park, Kurt Smallwood, Linda Thompson, Aisha Mobley, Milo Hooper, and William Fetterhoff. These are the names of just a few people who have impacted my life and instilled in me that I can be whatever I want to be. They showed me love when everything around me was hate, they cared for me when I had no one to look to, they picked me up when I would fall. My work ethic, drive and commitment to success can be attributed to those who believed in me even when I didn’t believe in myself.
My life’s mission is to help my community and underprivileged youth by serving as a positive role model for them. I will continue to teach the importance of education, give school supplies, provide activities so they can be healthy and have events so the youth can feel a part of something. I will continue to find ways to impact the lives of those in need and do all I can to help as many youths as possible become successful. I am the youngest of 5 siblings and now as a husband and father of 3, I do my best to give them love, encouragement, guidance, and support.
My family means the world to me, so I work as hard as possible to provide the best life I can for them. I want my children to be afforded opportunities I wasn’t and to also see the importance of giving back to those in need. My family volunteers with me in the community and have taken a liking to charitable work. This is very important to me because I was one of those kids who grew up impoverished in an under-marginalized community and experienced the positive impact those who give back can have on your life.
