Okenya Haylett

About Okenya Haylett

For a long time, I questioned my instincts.When my son was young, I noticed things that concerned me about his development. But the people around me kept telling me the same thing.“You’re overthinking it.”“He’s just a boy.”“He’ll grow out of it.”For a while, I listened. And like many parents, I began to doubt myself. But something inside me kept saying, “Pay attention.”Eventually I trusted that voice and began advocating for my son. That journey taught me something powerful. Many people struggle to speak up not because they don’t care, but because they are second-guessing themselves.That realization is what led me to coaching. Today, as a Parent Advocate Coach, I help mothers who suspect something may be off with their child’s development move from confusion and silence to confidence and action so they can advocate for the support their child needs.But the truth is, the struggle to find your voice doesn’t only happen in parenting.It happens in workplaces too.Many professionals second-guess their ideas, stay silent in meetings, or feel unsure about how to communicate their concerns or boundaries.That’s why I also work with individuals and organizations to strengthen confidence, mindset, and communication so people can show up more clearly and authentically in their roles.Whether in a school system or a workplace, my work centers around one core idea.Helping people trust themselves, find their voice, and advocate with clarity and confidence.Areas I support include:• Parent advocacy coaching• Mindset and voice coaching• Workplace communication and confidence• Personal growth and resilienceBecause when people learn to trust their voice, everything begins to change.Coach Okenya Haylett

Experience

1. Parent Advocate Initiative Supervisor

   Rising Ground

   May 2024 — Present · Queens, NY, US

   The Parent Advocate Supervisor will be responsible for the overall supervision of ParentAdvocates assigned to this program. The supervisor provides direction and information toAdvocates to maintain the provision of appropriate services to parents supported and their families.Provide supervision and support to Parent AdvocatesBuild rapport and support parents in coping with the trauma of child welfare/protectivesystem involvement, making decisions for their families, and communicating effectively withthose involved in their case.Work with socially, economically, culturally, and ethnically diverse groups in mutual respect.Manage workflow.Provide and/or coordinate Advocate’s training.Coordination and managing of Advocates scheduling, and reporting on hours worked.Coordinate, document, and channel Parent Advocate requests until resolution.Consult and collaborate with Program Coordinator on programmatic/case related concerns.Assist Advocates with reports & other case related documentation.Provide information and referral services to persons supported.Maintain and develop relationships with collaborative agencies to fulfill Rising Ground’smission.

Education

• Baruch College

  Bachelor of Arts - BA, Psychology

  2005 — 2009