07/25/2026
Every year, YMCA Blue Ridge Leaders School reminds me why I do what I do.
For one week, I step away from the courtroom and spend my time teaching leadership to teenagers. Every year, I come home feeling recharged and reminded that investing in people, especially young people, creates a ripple effect that lasts far beyond a single week.
This was my sixth year on the mountain, marked by receiving my 6-year jacket. It’s a meaningful tradition, especially because I never had the opportunity to attend Blue Ridge as a teenager. I joined Leaders Club when I was 13, but my family couldn’t afford to send me. It took another 20 years before I finally made it there, this time as staff. Being able to give today’s teens an experience I never had is something I never take for granted.
Steve Bowers, who built our Bob Sierra YMCA, served as Executive Director and later Vice President of the Tampa YMCA. He mentored my Leaders Club advisor, Chris Schrader. After Chris passed away in 2017, I returned to volunteering at the YMCA because I wanted to continue the legacy he left behind. For the past three years, I’ve had the privilege of teaching Leadership alongside Steve, and every year I’m reminded how much one mentor can change the course of someone’s life.
This year, Lillie Pittman served as Bob Sierra’s advisor, and she reminded all of us what great leadership looks like. She creates a space where teenagers feel safe, included, supported, and challenged to become their authentic selves.
Whether I’m representing families in court or mentoring future leaders, the mission is the same: help people find their voice, build confidence, and leave them better than I found them.
Thank you to everyone who made BRLS ‘26 such a meaningful week. I’m already looking forward to next year.
