Brenda L. Scales, was born in New Jersey, lived in Flint, MI. and currently resides on ancestral property in Mount Airy, North Carolina. As an African American, Brenda found it necessary to overcome several barriers to education, such as being a non-traditional student, low-income, single parent, eventually graduating from the University of Michigan-Flint with a bachelor’s degree in Psychology and forty additional credits in Business Administration. Her career path has been primarily focused in Human Services such as life, health, employment, and educational skills development for women, children, elderly and persons with disabilities. Most recently, her focus has been in Public Health Administration during the COVID-19 pandemic. She is an active member in the community promoting self-esteem, cultural awareness, historical preservation, and economic skills development. She joined the program to develop the skills necessary to be a better representative of the community and an informed liaison for the enrichment of others within the community.