OUR LEADERSHIP TEAM

ABOUT US

ABOUT OWNERS

Kimberly M. Lauriston, Organizational Culture Consultant

Kimberly is a Licensed Master Social Worker (LMSW) with over 15 years' experience working in community economic development. She has worked extensively through nonprofit & governmental place-based intervention services including education, housing and workforce development programs serving marginalized communities in Miami, Florida and now Austin, Texas. With her belief and commitment to community organizing, change management and systems development, she later served as Founding Member & Former Chair of the NASW Texas Chapter's Race, Equity, Accountability & Leadership (REAL) Committee. 

Over the last 5 years, through work and volunteer roles, she has made a commitment to transform programs and service delivery to Black expecting mothers through the Black Mamas ATX (formerly known as Black Mamas Community Collective) and the unhoused and formerly unhoused Austinites living with mental health and/or substance use addictions. Currently, she works in a restorative justice court to reduce recidivism and support those who have been touched by the criminal justice system.  Her commitment to marginalized communities inspires her to continue to support low-income or immigrant/refugee families through her various volunteer roles as a medical and social services advocate.  She is further committed to addressing ahistorical, disruptive interventions and bringing sustainable change to nonprofit and government institutions through Grounded Elevation Coaching & Consulting (formerly known as The Growing Edge Consulting). 

Kimberly is an artist at heart and loves to bring healing through dance and song. She continues to bridge aspects of her lived experience as a first generation Haitian-American, caseworker, organizer, teacher, singer/songwriter, dance instructor and antiracism consultant to provide support to the Black community nationwide.

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Robin Fay Johnson, Psychotherapist/Transformational Leadership Consultant

She is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) with over 16 years experience in the military taking care of Soldiers. She also has experience working in the clinical field in counseling and crisis intervention. Her specialty in her clinical work includes trauma, with an emphasis in Racialized Trauma Healing work. Robin is a ‘full spectrum social worker’. When you ask her what that title means to her, she says… “I do ALL the things”. She is able to use her passion to empower others as a therapist, professor & consultant.

In her 9-5 job, Robin  is the owner of Flourish Sanctuary Counseling and Coaching and Co-Owner of Grounded Elevation Coaching & Consulting. She gets to advocate for others who don’t have a voice in her super hero gigs. These gigs includes being the Capital Area Branch Chair of NASW (National Association of Social Work) Texas Chapter and an Assistant Adjunct Professor with the Steve Hicks School of Social Work at The University Texas- Austin. 

After the birth of her first child in 2018, her lived experiences as a new mother lead her to Black Mamas ATX aka (BMCC), where she became a founding board member and former Secretary. In her spare time she enjoys making memories with her babies, watching cooking shows, reading sci-fi fantasy, and adventuring with her loved ones.

OUR HISTORY

We are founding members of the Race, Equity, Accountability and Leadership (REAL) Committee for the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) Texas Chapter. Under the mentorship of Joyce James' Groundwater Analysis of Institutional Racism and the guiding principles of The People's Institute for Survival & Beyond (PISAB)'s Undoing Racism® signature training, we continue to provide antiracism learning opportunities to stakeholders.

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