Who We Are
Passion For Life is a nonprofit organization dedicated to youth workforce development.
Our Mission
We exist to provide forward-thinking career coaching and immersion opportunities to help under-resourced youth transform their passions into rewarding careers.
Through career coaching, immersive workshops, and real-world exposure, we equip young people with the tools to build confidence, find direction, and take action.
Our work is rooted in psychology, informed by data, and delivered with compassion.
Why It Matters
Far too many young people are asked, “What do you want to do when you grow up?” before they’ve been given the space to understand who they are.
At Passion For Life, we don’t just show youth what’s possible - we coach them how to get there.
We move beyond one-time career fairs and surface-level exposure. We provide structure, guidance, and coaching - the kind of support that turns dreams into plans.
What Drives Us
We know passion is not a luxury - it’s a strategy.
It’s how youth develop resilience, clarity, and motivation to break maladaptive cycles and build futures. That’s why we create spaces where youth feel seen, heard, and supported. We focus on the whole person - not just the profession.
“I belong. I have a voice. I can create the future I want.”
That’s the mindset we aim to unlock in every young person we reach.
We Partner With Purpose
We work hand-in-hand with nonprofits, schools, and community organizations to bring our programming directly to the youth who need it most.
We recognize that under-resourced youth face unique challenges—many shaped by their lived experiences. Our approach is designed to be empathetic, culturally aware, and responsive to those realities.
Our partners trust us to youth where they are and walk with them through an experiential journey that transforms uncertainty into clarity, and potential into purpose.
We don’t just deliver career readiness—we build trust, foster belonging, and guide youth toward purpose-driven futures.
Meet Our Leadership Team
We are a team of educators, coaches, researchers, and innovators united by one mission:
to help young people build passion-led lives.
Cicely Anderson
Executive Director/Founder
Cicely saw the need for a youth workforce development organization like Passion For Life after witnessing her own brother’s struggles to find a career path in the motorcycle industry, his biggest passion.
After seeing his circuitous journey, she decided she wanted to help students understand and cultivate their passion from a young age.
Thus, in 2006, Passion For Life was born. Since its opening, Cicely has worked tirelessly to help at-risk youth find and cultivate their purpose.
Cicely is a graduate of St. Augustine’s College.
Leadership Team
Lauren Metayer
Chief Operating Officer
Remeka Turk
Curriculum Development
Tonya Williams
Learning and Development
Celina Po
Research & Evaluation
Johanna Brown-Lyons
Marketing & Communications
