Hey! My name is Dr. JoNataye (a.k.a. Coach Dr. Jaye). I consider myself to be a servant leader. I have over 15 years of experience in the education and non-profit sectors. In addition, I’m an education coach, professor, author, and transformational speaker.

My life has been a fantastic journey. I was born and raised in East Cleveland, Ohio, and although the odds were stacked against me when I was young, I eventually managed to earn a Ph.D. from Ohio State University (OSU). I still marvel at how I could rise from my humble beginnings in the ‘hood’ to become an academic with a doctoral degree.

My early years were tough. I was sexually abused by a neighbor when I was five years old. I later had to deal with my parents’ divorce. As a teenager, I battled with low-self esteem, insecurity, and weight problems. In high school, I tried to mentally escape from my unfavorable circumstances by involving myself in extracurricular activities and work. I consistently held two jobs in high school and was president of my senior class. However, due to my non-academic challenges, my grades suffered. When I turned to my guidance counselor for college assistance, she told me, “JoNataye, you’re not smart enough to go to college. You should explore a different path.” I was crushed and emotionally distracted by her words – but I didn’t take her advice. Instead, I applied and got accepted into OSU.

It felt like my life began after I entered college. I wanted to choose a major that would help me learn how people think and put me in a position to influence and help others. As an undergraduate student, I majored in Psychology and African/African-American Studies. I loved my undergraduate years. I worked hard and played hard! During college, I had some incredible experiences, such as an internship at The State of Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Corrections, where I examined security and mental health policies within prison systems. I also worked at a non-profit agency to build a mentoring program to match at-risk youth with OSU college students and local business leaders.

As a result of my academic, work, and volunteer experiences, the President of Ohio State University awarded me the prestigious OSU Community and Campus Participant Award. Overall, I loved my undergraduate college experience because of the mentorship I received from the faculty, the friendships I made, and the adventures I had during holiday breaks. The highlight of my undergraduate studies was when I studied abroad in South Africa and Zimbabwe!

After observing the challenges within the prison system, I decided I wanted a career that would allow me to help people avoid entering the criminal justice system in the first place. I sought a Master’s in Social Work (MSW) and focused my studies on serving clients within academic settings. After completing my MSW, I became a school social worker. I was responsible for addressing middle and high school students’ social, emotional, mental health, and behavioral needs. Additionally, I trained K-12 teachers and administrators in students’ non-academic barriers to learning and in diversity and communication strategies to engage all learners. My motivation was to help students avoid the negative experiences I had in high school. My goal has always been to provide quality counseling to students to evolve into leaders prepared for college and future careers.

Nevertheless, because I am a goal-setter, I wanted a new life challenge. So I decided to pursue a Ph.D., and it was a challenging journey, unlike any other academic experience I’d had. I took grueling courses, wrote countless papers, and endured the candidacy exam and dissertation process. Plus, I had no social life!

After years of hard work and sacrifices, I finally achieved my doctorate. My research centered on creating mental health and social service supports within school settings. The title of my dissertation was “A View From the Principal’s Office: Exploring Principals’ Perceptions of Non-Academic Barriers to Learning – Implications for School Social Work Research, Education and Policy.” During my doctorate program at OSU, I taught courses and partnered with faculty to conduct research studies. 

Eventually, I was offered a faculty and administrative position at a liberal arts college. When students visited me during office hours, I noticed a pattern: they would ask me questions about navigating through life and surviving college. However, they rarely asked questions about the course content. This same thing happened outside the school. For example, I love to grade papers and do my work in coffee shops. Yet, when I’m working there, someone always asks me, “What do you do?” or “Are you a student?” When I tell them that I’m a college professor, they typically look shocked and say, “You don’t look like a college professor!” Then they ask me many college- and life-related questions: How do I deal with stress? How can I deal with a problematic college professor? Is a Ph.D. worth it? How can I get into and pay for graduate school? How do I balance school, work, and life? And so on.

As a result of hearing first-hand about students’ diverse and dynamic needs, and because of my work, research, and personal struggles, I am passionate about helping students inside and outside the classroom. 

Getting into college is easy, but graduating can be challenging. My mission and purpose are to provide learners with college coaching and resources to help you before, during, and after your academic journey to achieve your degree dreams!