FROM LOSS TO LEGACY: Building Lives That Matter

Speaker | Educator | Restoration Expert

I help students, women, and organizations rise again with purpose after loss, crisis, or transition.

My Story



I lost my mother at age 6, my brother Larry to congestive heart failure, my grandmother to dementia, my father to cancer, and multiple aunts and uncles.

My last living aunt is a two-time cancer survivor and the last elder I have left on my mother's side.


Today, I'm a kinship foster parent of 2 working to reunite three siblings separated

in the foster care system. I serve on the South Carolina Student Success Committee

while running three businesses and completing my degree.


I speak because I refuse to let their stories die with me.

I speak because someone in your audience needs to hear that they're not alone.

That grief doesn't have to be the end. That you can rebuild what life tried to break.


CREDENTIALS:

  • PTK International Presidential Candidate 2025 ("Service from the Heart")
  • Former Phi Theta Kappa Carolinas Region Vice President (80+ chapters)
  • SC Student Success Committee Member (Inaugural, statewide impact)
  • Student Advisory Board President, Midlands Technical College
  • 2024 Coca-Cola Academic Team Bronze Scholar
  • Advisory Committee Member, John H. Murphy Memorial Scholarship Foundation

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LEADERSHIP & SERVICE HIGHLIGHTS




  • Student Advisory Board President, Midlands Technical College

  • SC Student Success Committee Member (Inaugural - SC Technical System)

  • PTK International Presidential Candidate 2025 ("Service from the Heart")

  • Former Phi Theta Kappa Carolinas Region Vice President (80+ chapters)

  • 2024 Coca-Cola Academic Team Bronze Scholar

  • Advisory Committee Member, John H. Murphy Memorial Scholarship Foundation

  • Induction Keynote Speaker, PTK - AEK Chapter (MTC)






Signature Keynote Topics







1. THE LAST ONE STANDING:

Carrying Legacy When Everyone Else Is Gone


When you're the last one holding your family's memory, how do you honor the dead while serving the living? A powerful exploration of grief, resilience, and building legacy after profound loss.


IDEAL FOR: Grief organizations, cancer survivor groups, hospice events, faith communities, and family service agencies.


INVESTMENT: $2,500-$5,000 | 45-60 minutes


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2. SERVICE FROM THE HEART:

Why I Fight for Families Falling Apart


I'm raising two of three siblings separated in foster care because I know what it means to lose family. Service isn't a buzzword, it's survival. It's legacy.

It's how I honor everyone I've lost by showing up for everyone I love.


IDEAL FOR: PTK chapters, student success programs, churches, nonprofit leadership conferences, and foster care organizations.


INVESTMENT: $2,500-$5,000 | 45-60 minutes


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3. BREAKING CYCLES:

Keeping Families Together Through Education & Entrepreneurship


Education gives you access. Entrepreneurship gives you options. And when you have options, you can keep families together. How building skills and

income isn't just about personal success, it's family preservation.


IDEAL FOR: Colleges, technical schools, student success programs, kinship

caregiver organizations, and women's business groups.


INVESTMENT: $2,500-$5,000 | 45-60 minutes


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4. FROM CORPORATE TO PURPOSE:

How Loss Made Me Leave the 9-5


When my brother Larry passed away, I was sitting at my desk buried under paperwork. I realized I was trading my life for a paycheck, and life was

too short for that. For anyone stuck, unfulfilled, or wondering if there's more.


IDEAL FOR: Entrepreneur conferences, career transition workshops, women's

leadership events, and corporate wellness programs


INVESTMENT: $2,500-$5,000 | 45-60 minutes


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WORKSHOP OPTIONS (90 minutes - Half Day):

  • Student Success Through Entrepreneurship (colleges/PTK)
  • Scholarship Strategy & Application Excellence (student-focused)
  • Building Businesses with Integrity (entrepreneurs/stylists)

INVESTMENT: $3,500-$8,000



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READY TO BOOK CIARA FOR YOUR EVENT?


Whether you're planning a college conference, women's retreat, nonprofit training, or organizational event, let's explore how Ciara's story and expertise can serve your audience.
SPEAKING FEE: $2,500-$5,000 (depending on format and location)
[REQUEST SPEAKING INFO] [DOWNLOAD PRESS KIT]
Questions? Email: ciara2infiniti@gmail.com | Call: (803) 445-5795

Stay In the Loop

@mtcstudentlife for campus events • @ciara2infiniti for speaking highlights and faith-driven insights