NASHVILLE, TN — CaSondra Devine, Global ESG Executive, Educator and Strategist as well as a breast cancer survivor, told the Nashville’s professional women’s dinner group that equity is rooted in understanding that “we do not all start from the same place.”
Her mission work has included South Africa where her church dedicated wells for clean water, donated Kindles to school districts without access to books, as well as housing exchange students. She has implemented a funding strategy to support a nonprofit facility for women in transition, and created a disability etiquette toolkit for community awareness and engagement. She has supported housing as well as a high school student with the necessary resources to get into college, and has donated to many social justice initiatives. She is noted for saying “We cannot exist by turning our heads away from the people who need us most. We must do our part to raise the bar and make the world we live in fair for everyone.”
Devine and Rosetta Miller-Perry emphasized to the dinner group that the one person that gave them guidance the most is Dr. Mabel P. Phifer, the epitome of a leader and who most exemplifies the qualities of a Black woman in leadership. A founder of the Black College Satellite Network (BCSN), Dr. Phifer is a nationally respected women’s rights and community leader with a career that spans over 65 years in higher education, fundraising, telecommunications, and institutional advancement. It goes without saying that many Black women have benefitted from her leadership and wisdom.
Devine said that at the core, she is an educator and someone who genuinely loves people and wants them to succeed and be the best version of themselves. She is well known as being trustworthy, dependable, and a champion for social causes.
Devine, a global corporate citizen strongly believes that everyone should be treated with dignity and respect. She is known to be a leader who is smart, resilient, strong, and humble and lends her voice to those who cannot speak for themselves. She brings hope and a smile in the time of need and wakes up every day with an aim to leave this world in a better place.
Her advice to the dinner group was to be courageous and lean into fear regard less of what others or the negative voices inside of you may say, even if you fall the first time, do not be afraid to get back up. She concluded by saying “recognize and embrace the feeling, and believe in yourself and you will accomplish your goal and be well positioned for future endeavors.”
