Leadership

With more than forty-two years of experience working closely with young people and their families, she is a FIRM believer, and have witnessed on numerous occasions, that the key to positive transformation is investing in the immediate needs and current challenges that families are experiencing.  

Dr. Saundra has provided services to families through one of her outreach programs of 15 years, entitled, “Raise the Curtain (RTC),” a 501c(3) nonprofit organization formed in 1987.  It was during these years that she found and directed a conflict resolution camp entitled “Hallelujah Week,” that ran for 10 years.  Each year she and her staff of 15 leaders accompanied 80 to 110 young people to various State camp sites for a week’s training, mentoring, and counseling; along with fun activities.  It was during these years that she had first-hand opportunity to impart the principles of integrity, trust and self-discipline to them.  

Following the camp, Ms. Rhode developed a follow-up program called “Keeping Them Charged” – a platform designed to encourage the young people who attended the camp, regarding their behavior at home, their progress in school, and their activities in their perspective communities.  

The organization changed its name in 2010 to “GATE 12, Inc.”- because of an added mandate to assist pregnant teens who were transitioning out of the foster care system and preparing them to become effective leaders.

Dr. Saundra also has a special gift to help break the personal bondages that women experience.  In 2014, she birthed a community outreach program for women called “Women in Labor.” Women in Labor’s mission is to provide a break-through and release from seeds of deception.  It helps women understand the background and root reasons why they may be going through challenges they do not understand; and to provide some strategies that might help strengthen the patterns and behavior of their child(ren) to enforce positive change.