When tragedies happen, we have to make a choice. We can crumble. Or we can persevere. Bobbi Sudberry decided to persevere. It wasn’t easy. She suffered one of the worst tragedies imaginable. In 2008, Sudberry’s 17 year old daughter, Kaity, was murdered by an out of control ex-boyfriend.
It may seem crazy. But then again dreams don’t always make sense. “This idea is three women who really didn’t know that this was going to happen,” says Christine Robertson, CEO of Luca Magazine.
Dr. Maria Garay-Serratos is the CEO of Sojourner Center, a domestic violence shelter in Phoenix, Arizona that is breaking new ground both in principal and in practice. Garay-Serratos is trying to change the way people think about and talk about domestic violence.
“I always wanted to be that voice for the people without voices. I had that foundation of love that said you are special. Walk with your head up. You have so much to offer the world.” Dr. Kellie Warren grew up in Ohio. Her family was loving, but not all of her experiences were easy.
Dr. Maria Garay-Serratos says brain trauma in domestic violence victims is pervasive. In fact, her own mother passed away from head trauma, she says, after suffering abuse over the course of 40 years.
“It’s not an anger problem. If this was an anger issue, all of us would be abusers. This is about one person wanting to gain or maintain power with tactics of abuse.” At the age of 15, Donna Bartos found herself in an abusive relationship. Although she didn’t realize it at the time.
“You teach by behavior instead of what you say.” Dr. Kellie Warren is a powerhouse. A CEO named one of the most admired leaders of 2015 in Phoenix. Dr. Warren talks to Carey about her leadership style as the head of the powerful non-profit, Florence Crittenton. Warren says she works with purpose and teaches her staff to do the same. Their mission is for the girls who walk through their doors, many broken and abused, to walk away empowered and seeing their full potential.
