Meet HER
Meet the Director, Meochia Nochi Thompson
My name is Meochia, and I’ve been training mentors and mentoring girls from youth to adulthood, some even to their doctorate degrees, for over 20 years. I experienced trauma before I was even born. My mother told me I was a survivor of a botched abortion. I was the child of alcohol and heroin-addicted parents. By the time I was 2, I had been in foster care, molested and abused. I had my first child at 19.
I was independent and strong, though. Yeah, right? It looked like I had it together, but mentally, I was drowning.
Did you know that 2/3 of adults and 58% of youth under the age of 18 in Michigan have experienced trauma? Or 30% more women than men have been diagnosed with depression, especially in low-income families, according to Michigan’s 2022 Behavioral Risk Factor Survey? Also, in 2024, there were 82 girls imprisoned in the Kent County Juvenile Center. We need help!
Although I had two college degrees and my own business by 21, I didn’t receive any mentoring until I was 27 or a therapist until I was over 40. This is why I created She Mentor Her. It is the spin-off of RUTH, a Christian mentoring program I led for 10 years.
The biggest lesson I learned was that no matter how successful we LOOK, we aren’t fully healthy until we’re mentally healthy. So, I created She Mentor Her, an intergenerational mentoring program with a mental health component focused on older women mentoring young women who mentor younger girls. Our program is designed to create a supportive and nurturing environment where different generations share experiences, wisdom, and guidance. It's a space where women make meaningful connections, and their unique journeys are valued with a common purpose: to share, release, celebrate, prevent, and heal. Our goal is to raise leaders of tomorrow by preparing and equipping our participants with tools for mental, physical, and spiritual success!
CHEER LEAD HERS
Meet the Team
Our team consists of Mental Health Professionals, Community Leaders, and Women with lived experience who want to see her flourish!
Meochia Nochi
Founder & Mentoring Mentee Lead (Help HER)
Meochia believes in the power of leading by example and that healthy mentoring relationships keep everyone accountable and responsible. She has degrees in Journalism from Columbia College Chicago. Meochia has mentored for over 20 years, older and younger women. She is CEO of Blessed Pen Ink Publishing, Corp, an Author, Speaker, Leadership Empowerment Coach, the creator of the HUG (Help Uplift Goodness) Campaign, and a Mom.
Shanda Powell
Mentee Lead (Teach HER)
Shanda’s advocacy for young people is a gift. She believes that pouring into young people's lives is an expression of being the village our youth need. Shanda obtained her Bachelor’s Degree in Family Life Education from Spring Arbor University and her Master’s Degree in Ministry Leadership from Grand Rapids Theological Seminary at Cornerstone University.
Disha Roddy
Special Events Lead
Disha loves helping ladies lead fun and productive lives. She believes self-care is a priority in loving self. She graduated from St. Joseph's College with a BA in Business Administration and is currently a Construction Manager at Amazon, where she assists with the Women of Amazon as an events coordinator.
Tamara Spears
Lead Therapist (Ages 13-15)
Tamara’s personal insights and commitment to nurturing the next generation uniquely equip her for mentoring, as she embraces her new opportunity with the “She Mentor Her program”, ready to foster growth, resilience, and confidence in the young girls she will serve. Tamara holds a Bachelor’s degree in Social Sciences from Aquinas College with an emphasis on sociology and psychology, and she has further advanced her expertise with a Master’s degree in Social Work from Western Michigan University.
Success HER (Champions)
Meet some of the SMH beneficiaries whose success makes it all worth it.
Monique started as a Mentee with us at age 15. She is now a Registered Nurse, pursuing her Doctorate in Nursing at University of Illinois at Chicago. She is still active in the mentoring program.
Monique Riaz, RN
Doctorial Student
UIC
