Full Name
Ms. Tafrica Harewood
Job Title
Founder
Company
As Yourself Transformational Coaching Strategies
Speaker Bio
Tafrica L. Harewood brings 20+ years of experience in the DEI space, where she has worked to support current and emerging leaders in making decisions that positively impact the realities of their stakeholders and live into their commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging.
Tafrica began her career at Carnegie Mellon University as Assistant Director of Admissions, working with underrepresented populations of secondary and post-secondary students and the people and programs that impacted them. The aim was to increase access to resources and opportunities in post-secondary education and beyond.
Her work in education and faith background brought her to Indianapolis, Indiana, where she served as the Education Director, expanding the reach and impact of the educational program of the Jireh Sports Ministry sponsored by East 91st Street Christian Church. The ministry partnership meant the convergence of diverse racial, socio-economic, and religious realities. She worked closely with young athletes as well as organizational, business, and religious leaders to help them effectively navigate the complexities of their relationships with one another.
After completing her MBA at the University of Indianapolis, Tafrica worked as a regional representative with the Indiana Department of Local Government Finance (DLGF), where she helped to design and implement the organization’s cutting-edge technology meant to increase transparency, streamline workflow, and improve communication between local and state-level representatives. She was also the first African-American to service as administrative analyst and liaison for Budget Division of DLGF.
She then worked with the Commission for Higher Education (CHE) to support and eventually manage the state’s 21st Century Scholars Program. At CHE, she worked with school, community, and government leaders to make access to higher education a reality for more students from families at or below the poverty line. She also helped to establish and lead the State’s first Indiana School Counseling Association (ISCA) Higher Education Commission Advisory Committee, giving school counselors a greater voice with state decisionmakers.
Now, as a self-discovery coach, DEIB consultant, and transformational speaker, she draws on her diverse experiences to help clients embrace where they are, clarify where they want to go, and chart a path forward with wisdom, accountability, and wonder. She is passionate about co-creating meaningful, sustainable results with clients of diverse backgrounds, across sectors.
Tafrica is also an Intercultural Development Inventory® (IDI®) Qualified Administrator and has obtained her certification as an Emotional Intelligence Assessor through Six Seconds.
Tafrica Harewood