Meet LaVonna, in full

I’ve called seventeen different places home over the course of this life — mostly Sacramento,
and later Arizona — and each move taught me something new about starting over. Before I ever
picked up a paintbrush again, I spent years walking alongside children and families through
Child Protective Services, work that shaped how I see resilience.

I found my way into education almost by accident — starting as a substitute teacher and working
my way up to Acting Principal of a charter school in just three years. Somewhere in between, I
spent sixteen years in the insurance industry, steady work that gave me room to raise a family.
I hold a degree in Criminal Justice from Sacramento State University, though my path never went
quite where I expected it to.

I’m a mother and grandmother to many, and these days I’m back in school myself, pursuing my
Master of Fine Arts in Illustration — because it turns out reinvention doesn’t have an age
limit. When I’m not working or creating, you’ll find me somewhere new, exploring.

Life at a glance