LifeChanger of the Year Nominee Profile

Carleen Alford was nominated by her daughter, Natalie Massey. 

"Throughout my entire life, my mom has never had an issue with leaving an impression on people. I have seen her teach for over 27 years, with nothing but superb superlatives," said Massey.

Ms. Alford was named Teacher of the Year for her district (multiple times), regularly called on to serve as Administrative Coordinator at her middle school, selected for AVID conferences as a Keynote speaker to emphasize the need for AVID in school systems, and much more.

"Of course she will say that the accolades don't mean anything to her, but I believe that my mom deserves all the recognition in the world. She is a woman of results. Her test scores never veer off when it comes to progression. She makes memorable songs and brings creative ideas to help students learn their different topics. She knows what she is doing, time and time again," said Massey.

"Every week from my middle school years up, I would have encounters with my mom's students throughout her entire tenure as a teacher, from students from the early 2000s to those who graduated only a few weeks ago. I'd see them at the grocery stores, the mall, or even at the movies. The interactions would last from five minutes to hours. My brother and I would give each other a look of 'what else is new,' because we knew the interaction was genuine. The people would speak about the good times they had in the classroom with my mom. The children and parents would elaborate on the impact my mom had on their lives. That is something that cannot be bought," said Massey. "Those exchanges really empower my mom, even on her worst days."

"My mom deserves all the awards for being a great teacher, not only because she's my mom, but because she chose to be. As much as she enjoys being a mother, and now a GIGI, her sole purpose in this world is to teach the next generation. She pours into her students because she knows that the fuel will create future doctors, lawyers, politicians, social workers, teachers, etc. She knows that this is not a job, but a calling. She answered the call and has completed 28 years while working on the 29th. She truly changes lives," said Massey.