12/27/2025
2026 WORD OF THE YEAR | INTENTIONALITY:
In 2026, I move with intentionality—in purpose, in partnership, and in impact.
I am is the Founder and Executive Director of Americans Thrive, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit workforce development and training organization established in 2019 to bridge the employment skills gap and create sustainable career pathways for underserved populations, including individuals impacted by the justice system and foster care.
Grounded in a deep commitment to equity, access, and economic mobility, she founded Americans Thrive to ensure individuals are equipped not only with skills, but with the support, opportunity, and alignment required for long-term success.
Under her leadership, Americans Thrive has emerged as the #1 Community Partner and Connector, convening employers, academic institutions, municipalities, and industry leaders across multiple sectors to ensure workforce solutions are employer-aligned, actionable, and impact-driven.
With more than two decades of experience in human resources and workforce strategy, Dr. Simmons Stevenson - Stevenson also serves as the visionary leader of The Lifecycle Network, a Human Resources and Consulting firm she established in 2006. Across both organizations, her leadership is defined by the integration of experiential and exponential learning models, strategic partnerships, and systems-level thinking aligning education, workforce, and industry to deliver measurable outcomes and lasting community impact.
Rooted in intentionality, 2026 represents a deliberate inflection point personally and professionally to scale impact, expand partnership-driven growth, and build sustainable workforce pathways powered by relationships, data, and disciplined ex*****on.