We asked each of our storytellers and workshop facilitators to share their FearLess Bios. Here is what they had to say.

Storyteller Bios

Christi Biggers 

My name is Christi Biggers.  I am the Division Operations Specialist (DOS) for the First Year Foundations Division here at LSC-Tomball.  Prior to coming here I worked at LSC North Harris for 10 years. I have several fears, some of which I have just learned the names of, but the main two I will be addressing today are thanatophobia, the fear of losing a loved one and glossophobia, ironically, the fear of public speaking.  I have been married for 23 years to a wonderfully patient husband who puts up with my acute arachnophobia, in exchange for me watching copious amounts of college football.  We have one son who is both baffled by and amused with my megalophobia, fear of large objects.

Irene Briggs 

Overcoming fears have been a continuous element in my life. Many times, I found it easier to succumb to fear giving it power over my life instead of facing them. But God had different plans for my life, and I am here today to share how I overcame fear in pursuit of my education. I hope to help and encourage you in recognizing how you can take your fear and turn it into faith.

Sarah Mitchell 

I have always struggled with fear that I am not enough. I am not good enough, smart enough, pretty enough, the list goes on. This fear hindered me from achieving things in life. Only when I was pushed to a point of the utmost discomfort did I begin to take steps forward; working on my fear and ultimately end up not only overcoming my fear but thriving from it.

Aisha Taylor

I have learned that every time I choose to face my fear and trust God, something amazing happens! He elevates me and shows me that His word is true and that he has my back! Conquering my fears and staying confident in my ability to bounce back allowed me to stay true to what God has called me to be in my life. Staying in the comfort of the known, rather than going into the unknown holds us back from discovering our purpose. That is what separates us from being good to being great! I decided to “take the leap” to see just what God has in store for me.

LaTonya White 

Fear attacks us a people. 

It has come up plenty of times in my life. 

Be It:

• family issues
• dealing with grief
• the notion of being successful in multiple modalities 

My fears have been a war. A war of self-perseverance. When it comes to my life, It is the lesser. 

Every time, I’ve chosen to step out on faith & wage that war of overcoming, I courageously persevered.  

Why? Because I believe in the meek inheriting the earth in all her greatness, therefore Fear, DOES NOT CONSUME ME.

Workshop Facilitator Bios

Alfredo Alberto

FEAR. FALSE EVIDENCE APPEARING REAL. When I have a bad day and believe that I am worth nothing, fear takes hold and leads me to have social anxiety. Frustrated and always asking God to please show me how not to be socially awkward around others has been my constant prayer. One day God bridged me back to himself through His Son and now I daily defeat self-doubt. As a father and a man of faith, I want to model Christ’s love by creating meaningful relationships with others as Christ did with me

Cory Colby

I am scared to death of not being the best that I can be for my students or my profession. And like so many professionals, it is scary to me to feel like the only person who has a passion for learning about a particular interest. So after connecting with some fearless educators I turned to one of the scariest places on earth, Twitter, and found other passionate professionals who shared my interest in becoming our best selves. My journey with Twitter has had frightening results in my own learning and development and has been a part of building a community of learners from around the U.S. and the world.

Marian Chaney, The Gift of Fear

It's not that I am not afraid. I am. I share a fear of heights and small spaces with many of you. But I believe there is really only one fear to have and that is "the fear of the Lord," because the Bible promises wisdom, peace and life to those who fear Him.

Victor Escalante, Tough Talk Without Heart and Soul is Just Noise Making

I've lived a blessed life having done so much and some might say, I've lived at least a couple of lifetimes when you add up all my adventures. At this stage in my life I'm entering into my dharma, feeling self actualized. I have my soul mate with two exceptional children, a desire for a little girl, good health, a 14 year old son who is very much like me, and bright future in business; I fear I could die prematurely and lose it before I get to live it completely. I have a burning desire to share my knowledge that others may benefit from my experience. 

Jennifer Fairweather, A Caregiver's Journey: How I didn't become consumed 

I have spent half my life caring for my chronically ill mother, and any caretaker knows that our biggest fear is losing our loved ones. Shortly after I had to face that fear, my youngest son was stricken ill with unknown causes where our biggest concern was cancer. While we are grateful this was not his diagnosis, nothing could have prepared me for raising a son with not one, but three, rare diseases. Five years later, we are still fighting our way through this journey, and I am afraid I am losing myself in this process.?

Janet Flores, The Gift of Fear

“I’m honestly not afraid of much. There are things that worry me, but as far as things that “scare” me? I guess I’d say that bees scare me because I’m allergic to bee stings. And ever since I learned from the movie “Jerry Maguire” that “dogs and bees smell fear,” I’m afraid that bees will KNOW that I’m afraid of them and that can’t be good.”

Dr. Ericka Landry “The Courage to Teach: Facing Fears in the Classroom”

One of my biggest fears is the idea of letting others down - family, students, and colleagues, etc! My goal is to be the best expression of myself as possible, so I can give wholeheartedly to others. I enjoy creating "circles of trust" and fostering nurturing environments for others to learn and grow. Yes, I OWN my contributions and want to ensure that my life is lived in courage, power, peace, and integrity.

Cristina Nader

The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction (ESV). –Proverbs 1:7

Fear means something different today than it did in different seasons of my life. When I look at my students, I wish I could help them see the truth: that we have nothing to fear and everything to gain from moving closer and deeper into our purpose.

Stephanie Perea

My name is Stephanie Perea, and I am a TRIO Student Support Services Success Coach at Houston Baptist University. I recently graduated with a BBA in Management with a minor in Psychology, and am a TRIO alum. One fear that I have is to be average. The thought of not excelling in the places where God has me, drives me to give 110% wherever I go.