Brenda Jenkins

When your life seems unclear, check and make sure you are connected to your power source within. 

Brenda Jenkins is a mother of four, grandmother of sixteen, and great-grandmother of five. She is also living with multiple myeloma-a rare, incurable cancer. As a cancer survivor, Brenda educates cancer patients, staff, and caregivers across the nation using tools gained from her experience in project management, consulting, quality assurance, and process engineering. 

Brenda engages audiences and empowers them to leave with action steps for everyday living. She is well versed in problem solving; her out-of-the-box thinking allows her to provide communication and relationship solutions in areas where others only see problems. Individuals attending Brenda's training learn to use a variety of organizational and interpersonal tools. They learn how to: 

• Conduct self-assessments to determine strengths and weaknesses.
• Overcome barriers.
• Set boundaries.
• Accept self and others.
• Communicate effectively.
• Find support.

Through her programs, Brenda caters to a variety of audiences from cancer groups to faith-based communities. Her most requested topics include:

•  Living with Cancer: Educate yourself on your diagnosis, get support, and remain grounded.
• Parenting: Know the importance of gathering information and use the information to understand yourself, others, and your goal. Communicate with power.
• When We Reach the Edge, Where Do We Go for Support?: Learn how to successfully live day-by-day and lead others while doing so.
• Leaving the Lone Ranger Mentality-Alone: Embrace effective communication skills so you can better build teams and relationships.

Brenda is also a speaker, consultant and workshop facilitator through her business, ARIEL Connections. ARIEL promotes the importance of valuing people through an emphasis on its core values: Accept, Relate, Invest, Encourage, and Love.

 In all your accomplishments, remember, people are more important than things. Treat them gently.

 As a Parent Advocate, Brenda believes the answer to today's problems can be solved one parent at a time, one family at a time, and one community at a time. Brenda has published several how-to books on leadership. Her latest book, He is Not Left Behind...He is with Me! is a handbook that encourages parents while offering tips for raising children.

 During the last 20 years, Brenda started three ministries at her church. She currently serves as the founder/director of the Parenting Ministry and is a mentor to many. Brenda is currently working on a doctoral degree in Organizational Leadership with a 2013 completion date.

 Publications

• Leaving the Lone Ranger Mentality Alone, Author
• When We Reach the Edge, Where Do We Go for Support?, Author
• He Is Not Left Behind...He Is With Me!, Co-author
• HELP! For Your Leadership, Co-author
• Leaders Self-Care Workbook: HELP! For Your Leadership, Co-author
• Life As A Single Mom: It Isn't Easy, or Is It?, Contributing author

 Awards

• 2013 Michigan Leukemia & Lymphoma Society Woman of the year
• Who's Who in Black Detroit (2008-2012)
• 2010 Professional Woman of the Year (The Detroit Club of the National Association of Negro Business and Professional Women's Clubs, Inc.)
• 2003 Herald Award
• Telephone Pioneers of America National Education Excellence Award for Renovation for Education (Ameritech Michigan Chapter 10)

 Memberships & Associations

• Member, National Speakers Association
• Board Member, VP of Special Events, National Speakers Association Michigan Chapter
• Member, American Association of Christian Counselors (AACC)
• Member, National Biblical Counseling Association (NBCA)
• Member, Christian Writers Association, Detroit Chapter
• Member, Detroit Parent Network

 Training & Certifications

• Certified Biblical Counselor and Adjunct Instructor for Christian Research and Development
• State (MI) Circle of Parents Facilitator Trainer

 Testimonials

 Gloria Thomas

"Brenda is an excellent speaker who has a heart for people. She is an exciting, motivated addition to any program."

Dawn Marie Alexander

"Her work comes from her heart and it shows. I recommend Brenda's work because she is detail oriented and has produced top quality with constancy time and again."