Mikisha comes to Breakthrough Twin Cities with an amazing breadth and depth of experience from corporate America (Target Corporation), the nonprofit world (Minneapolis Urban League) and the public sector (US Department of Health and Human Services). She is a proven leader who excels at motivating her team’s growth and developing new initiatives. As a graduate of Dartmouth College, her personal story is one to which all BTC alums may aspire … migrating to the US from Jamaica at age six, she was raised in an inner-city community in Bridgeport, Connecticut where she “witnessed firsthand the challenges that families face trying to provide for their child’s future in environments where violence, poverty, drug addiction, and inequitable access to education are the norm. Without the support of my family and education enrichment programs like Horizons, Upward Bound, and Connecticut Scholars, it would have been very difficult for me to navigate through the college process. As a result of my experiences, I have dedicated a significant portion of my life to public service by taking action to address disparities and inspiring others to do the same.” Mikisha added, “I am reminded of a Jamaican saying, "Wi likkle but wi tallewah". This phrase was originally used to depict my home country as a small but mighty island nation. The phrase is also used to describe the tenacious and committed character of people and organizations that through their resolve are achieving noteworthy results. Breakthrough Twin Cities embodies the spirit of this traditional saying and I know even greater things are in store for [our] organization in the future.”
