In this episode Heather interviews Chandra Purnell Bond award-winning facilitator, counselor, leader, business owner, and music maven.
Tune-in to hear their conversation on:
"I want you to be the first." - Chandra's family legacy of firsts and how that inspired her in her many careers.
"I didn't want to take money from people who didn't have it." - The many twists and turns of Chandra's career journey (addiction counselor, stockbroker, non-profit organizer, Certified Learning and Performance Professional, music and entertainment consultant).
"How do we move forward as a country?" - Chandra shares her and her family's experiences with racism, privilege, law enforcement, and her thoughts on how education, empathy, and unity will move us forward.
"When I feel the world I have to shut down." - How Chandra (aka MC Chela) uses poetry and spoken word performance to relax, reset, process, and grow.
Connect with Chandra
LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/chandrapurnellbond/
Twitter @StepIn2MyCipher
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/chandra.purnellbond
Chandra Purnell Bond
Born in Baltimore, and raised on the Eastern Shore of Maryland, Chandra Purnell-Bond aka MC Chela, comes from a family of firsts. Her great uncle, E.A. Purnell, was the 1st African American doctor in her town and was featured in JET magazine; her mother, Marva was the first in the family to graduate with a Master’s degree and to be one of the founders of an historically Black sorority chapter at Salisbury State College. At 16, Chandra leveraged her outstanding G.P.A. and experience as a Congressional Page, Vice President of the Young Democrats, a member of the Maryland Governor’s Youth Advisory Council and Regional Vice President of the Future Business Leaders of America, into an early acceptance into Hampton Institute’s pre-college program.
Chandra spent her first few years after obtaining her Bachelor of Science from Coppin State in Baltimore and became an Addictions Counselor working with homeless and HIV/AIDS patients. After moving to Virginia in 1994, she began working with the association and meeting industry including the American Counseling Association and the American Society for Training and Development, where networks and projects with the National Institutes of Mental Health (NIMH), Porter Novelli and several government organizations, honed her interest in Facilitation and Training and eLearning. Finishing her M.B.A. at Averett University, Chandra had a short stint as a Stockbroker Trainee at Legg Mason in Baltimore, MD, then transitioned into nonprofit consulting and organizational development with United Way of America in Alexandria, VA. Chandra started her PhD program in organizational management in 2003 and left the program after being offered the opportunity to build a training program at a defense contractor in Reston, Virginia. After becoming the 1st in her company to attain the Certified Learning and Performance Professional (CPLP) credential in 2006, she was again transferred to another division with the same defense contractor in Tucson, Arizona to become the Business Learning Lead, and received numerous company achievement awards and accolades. She retired as a Six Sigma/Quality Control Expert in 2012.
Since retirement, Chandra has helped to build a family business named Step Into My Cipher Entertainment which encompasses music management, social media and marketing, a recording studio, voiceover services, an executive car service, and a personal security arm. She has also appeared on several podcasts and interviewed for her expertise in many areas of business and life experiences. As MC Chela, she has written poetry and performed spoken word, which is her main method of relaxation.
Chandra currently resides in Phoenix, AZ with her family, and an Aussie Shepard/Border Collie.
Mavens Do It Better original theme music composed by Jesse Case with voice over by Julia Francis.