About Us

As a mother of three daughters, helping children feel confident and have a healthy self-esteem has been Renee’s job for the last 25 years. As a School Counselor for 20+ years, Renee has been an advocate for children and is fueled by a passion to help children feel socially and emotionally strong. Prior to founding She Believes in Me, Renee worked with non-profit Code 3 Association to forge positive relationships between the police department and local at-risk communities. The success of this program was  featured in the Washington Post and Associated Press and helped inspire her to go further to address the emotional needs of young children in the community she witnessed daily through her work as a school counselor. Renee is a true believer in establishing a support system for young children to help them become confident and strong community members. Helping to empower children to live strong lives for a successful future is the reason Renee started She Believes in Me.

Having spent over 20 years in the corporate world, she left it to focus on motherhood and a second career using her interpersonal and organizational skills to support those in need. She has a 20-year track record as an active, dedicated, and consistent volunteer for various organizations. Teri’s childhood family was exposed to too much, too young. It took a village to empower Teri’s family from their challenges, showing her that community support can make all the difference in a child’s life story, as it did with her. She is keenly aware that a child whose emotional and psychological needs are nurtured is more likely to have academic and social success. Teri is deeply passionate about She Believes in Me and the children and families they serve. She understands that even a smile can change a child’s day, and a warm blanket can feel like a hug for someone in need.

Luke graduated from Johns Hopkins University with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology. Luke has developed a passion for working with kids through his time working as a swim coach. Luke was also the Director of Recreation for Four Seasons Recreation Association, where he sought to enhance community outreach by becoming community partners with She Believes In Me. Through this partnership, Luke was able to help Four Seasons and She Believes in Me put on more events for kids in need of support in the Herndon Community. Luke became a volunteer liaison for She Believes In Me in the beginning of 2023 and has gotten increasingly involved since then. Luke hopes to continue helping families in need in the Herndon area through his role as the Liaison Program Coordinator as well as in going back to school to become a School Counselor.

After a career in the arts, with a focus on operations, sales, and event planning, Sarah left the workforce to take time to raise her two children. She was an active volunteer in their schools and activities through their high school years and is now using that time and energy to help vulnerable families in the Herndon community. She started volunteering for She Believes in Me in 2022 as an event mentor and office assistant and became the Volunteer Engagement Coordinator in 2023. Sarah helps organize summer camps, recruit volunteers, and assists in keeping things running smoothly. In her spare time, Sarah enjoys reading, exercising, playing word games, and spending time with friends and family.