Vernisha Crawford, a former Massage Therapist, is a Certified Health & Wellness Coach and a Trauma-Informed Implementation Specialist. She earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Sociology from UNC Charlotte and a Master’s Degree in Leadership from Grand Canyon University. She is a Master Level Certified Professional Life Coach, Business Coach, Certified Scrum Master, & Community Consultant. She is currently pursuing her Ph.D. in Psychology with a Trauma & Disaster Relief Specialization Psychology, yet her greatest endeavor is motherhood where she learns from her 6-year old daughter, Nahla Skye, every day. Vernisha is the Founder and CEO of Bringing You Excellence (B.Y.E.), LLC, a national consulting and executive coaching firm that help leaders & organizations become trauma-informed certified to reduce workplace trauma and prioritize wellness. Vernisha has reached over 100,000 people online, hosted conferences and trainings across the country to strengthen individuals’ resilience and implement trauma-informed approaches within organizations. Vernisha has helped secure and manage over $11 million dollars in funding to support the work of both small grassroot organizations and multi-billion dollar organizations. Vernisha is also the Founder of BYE Foundation, a 501c3 organization one of the first grant-making foundations taking a trauma-informed approach to funding. Vernisha serves as a member of the Early Childhood Executive Committee for Mecklenburg County, the NC ACES Task Force Advisory Board, NC Juvenile Justice Behavioral Health Committee, Charlotte Lab School Board as Co-Chair of the Wellness & Culture Committee, and is the Vice President of the Charlotte Community Board for The Gathering Spot. Vernisha also facilitates a criminal justice course at Belmont, Vanderbilt, and Fisk Universities.