As a young child, Glynda moved around a lot… enjoying the opportunity to visit new cities/states and meet new people! She was born in a small town in East Texas where she lived with her grandparents until she was 12. Afterwards, she moved to Gary, Indiana, to live with her mother and step-father. Glynda stayed in Gary until her freshman year of high school when her family moved to Las Vegas, Nevada. After a few years in Nevada, her family again relocated to Phoenix, Arizona where Glynda finished her senior year of high school.
After graduation, Glynda took a job in Phoenix as a legal secretary and then, after 2 years, returned to Las Vegas. Glynda spent 20 years in Las Vegas working as a legal secretary in show business and in real estate. During her time in Vegas, she married and had a daughter. Several years later, Glynda (now a single mother) returned to Phoenix to attend ASU. She graduated in 2 years with a degree in Special Education and worked for the next 20 years as a Special Education teacher, a general education 7th grade teacher, a school counselor, an assistant principal, and then a middle school principal. She served her last 4 years as a TUSD principal coach before retiring from public education and starting her own consulting business that concentrated on leadership training and coaching with the goal of improving math instruction.
Glynda still owns her consulting business, but now employs 2 consultants who do the majority of the instructing. “I always dreamed of being a teacher,” she says, “and upon becoming a single mother, I thought that getting my degree and working as a teacher would allow me to both spend more time with [my daughter] and be a positive role model.”
When Glynda is not working with her consulting company or volunteering with Youth On Their Own, she enjoys traveling, reading, shopping, spending time with her family and friends, and appreciating good art. Glynda got started with YOTO when one of her husband’s law partners, a fellow YOTO board member, suggested that Glynda may enjoy the mission and thought she may have something to contribute to the organization! As a member of the board, Glynda has enjoyed seeing the implementation of a new pilot program that gives support to students pursuing higher education after high school (more on that in the near future!). She also greatly enjoyed participating in interviewing students who applied for college scholarships. Having a chance to meet YOTO students in person and hear their ambitions and aspirations firsthand is what fuels Glynda to stay involved with the Youth On Their Own organization.
