Let Me Introduce Myself

Last week, I celebrated my birthday by giving a gift instead of receiving one.

I wrote a blog.

As I shared in my last post, this blog is shifting gears. While I will continue writing about business, leadership, program and project management, and professional growth, I also want to share more of the person behind those experiences.

After announcing that shift, I was asked a simple question:

"Tell us a little about yourself."

So, here we are.

My Most Important Role: Mom

More important than any title I have ever held professionally, I am a mother.

Of all the accomplishments in my life, raising my daughters remains my greatest honor and the title I treasure most. My daughters are now grown and living their own beautiful lives, and being their mother remains one of the greatest blessings of mine.

When they were growing up, I was all in.

I attended countless games, recitals, performances, and school activities and cherished every opportunity to support them. Motherhood taught me resilience, selflessness, humility, patience, and how to love someone more than I love myself.

It taught me how to put another person's needs before my own and still find joy in doing so.

It also taught me humility because children are wonderfully honest. My daughters never hesitated to tell me exactly what they thought and, more often than not, they were right.

Looking back, some of my most important life lessons came from simply being their mother.

A Little About Me

If I had to describe myself in a few words, I would say I am a God-fearing woman, a program and project manager, a contract expert, an author, a lifelong learner, and someone who enjoys building programs that create economic opportunity and strengthen communities.

I have one brother and several half-siblings. My father is deceased, and my mother recently retired after a remarkable 50-year career in law enforcement, ultimately serving as a Chief of Police.

Her courage, discipline, and commitment to service influenced me in ways I continue to discover.

She also taught me how to make a pretty amazing sweet potato pie.

The Professional Side of Me

I graduated from Lincoln University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Criminal Justice Administration with plans of becoming a lawyer. I later earned a Master Human Resource Management Certificate from Villanova University.

Professionally, I have spent more than 30 years developing and managing large-scale economic development programs across a variety of industries, focusing on supplier diversity, community impact, contract compliance, stakeholder engagement, and program development.

I started my career as a Legal Intern with the Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh.

Over the years, I have had the privilege of helping design and implement programs that created opportunities for businesses and communities. Some of the initiatives I helped establish more than two decades ago continue to serve the people they were designed to support. Seeing something you helped build continue to thrive years later is incredibly rewarding.

More recently, I had the opportunity to co-develop and manage a quality assurance program from the ground up to provide technical assistance services for government clients. While quality has always been important in my work, this was the first time where it became a primary focus, and I genuinely enjoyed the experience.

I love building programs, solving problems, finding solutions, and creating opportunities for others.

Not every idea succeeds, but I've never been afraid to try.

Author, Dreamer, and Builder of New Chapters

I am also an author.

Writing has given me another way to share lessons, experiences, and perspectives that may help someone else along their journey.

Like most people, life has brought its share of challenges, disappointments, unexpected turns, and lessons. Those experiences have strengthened my faith, deepened my perspective, and reminded me that every chapter of life has something to teach us.

I believe we can acknowledge our struggles without allowing them to define who we become.

Why I Moved to Texas

In 2025, I made one of the biggest decisions of my life.

I sold the family home we built and lived in for 23 years and relocated from Pennsylvania to Texas.

The decision was intentional.

I wanted affordability, warm weather, opportunity, and a fresh start. I made a list of what I wanted for the next chapter of my life, and Texas consistently rose to the top.

Selling my home was both emotional and empowering.

Every room held memories.

Every box carried a story.

And yes, there were tears.

But it was also one of the bravest things I've ever done.

For the first time in a long time, I had the opportunity to think about what I wanted for myself.

Moving to Texas represented freedom, possibility, and the chance to create a new chapter on my own terms.

At this stage of my life, I have given myself the freedom to design the life I want.

That is my gift to me.

Today, I spend more time doing the things I enjoy. While the Texas heat occasionally tests that commitment, I enjoy nature walks, hiking, and spending time outdoors. Some of my best thinking happens on a trail.

I have also discovered something that took me years to appreciate:

I genuinely enjoy my own company.

For someone who spent so many years focused on family, career, responsibilities, and the needs of others, that realization has been both peaceful and liberating.

What's Next?

These days, I am focused on building a future that includes purpose, financial freedom, continued growth, and retirement within the next seven to ten years.

Professionally, I hope to earn one more certification and launch two initiatives that I genuinely believe can make a positive difference in the world.

Personally, I hope to continue building a life filled with faith, meaningful relationships, adventure, travel, and new experiences.

I'd also love to climb Mount Kilimanjaro.

A girl can dream.

A Few Fun Facts About Me

• Seafood is my favorite food.

• I've loved green vegetables since I was a small child.

• Coffee is a daily requirement.

• So is cucumber water.

• I make a mean sweet potato pie.

• My favorite colors change often, but pink, purple, sage green, royal blue, and black consistently make the list.

• I love nature walks and hiking.

• I genuinely enjoy my own company.

• I am always working on a new idea.

• I believe it's never too late to start over.

• I also believe our best chapters may still be ahead of us.

Until Next Time

Thank you for taking the time to get to know me a little better.

As this blog continues to evolve, I look forward to sharing more stories about faith, family, personal growth, leadership, entrepreneurship, and the lessons I've learned along the way.

My hope is that something I share will encourage, inspire, or simply remind someone that it is never too late to pursue a new dream, begin a new chapter, or create a life that reflects who you truly are.

After all, I'm still writing my story.

And I suspect many of you are too.

Warmly,

Cameil D. Coleman