Hurdle Life Coach Foundation

Terry Liggins has been a practitioner of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Justice (DEIJ) principles and a developer of DEIJ programs since 2005. 

Terry is a graduate of the University of South Dakota (USD) where he completed his Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice and minored in Leadership Studies. He also completed his Master of Arts in Public Administration with an emphasis in Non-Profit Organizations. 

While in college as a student-athlete, the lure of leadership and its potential in having a positive impact and shaping environments fascinated Terry. Inspired by this intrigue coupled with his ambitious nature, outgoing personality, ability to connect with others and love for people he presided over five different student groups at USD. 

Terry is recognized for partnering with startup nonprofits, corporations, charitable groups and advocacy efforts that help to advance a healing-informed society that is inclusive and equitable in all of its practices. Specializing in recruitment and retention strategies through a whole-person focus, he helps teams develop a trauma-informed culture that is safe for all people.

Passionate about workforce development, entrepreneurship, mentorship in the margins and effective communication as a full-time consultant and coach, Terry is proud to be the Founder and Chief Executive Officer at Hurdle Life Coach Foundation and TLC Services. 

Co-Founder Inner Child Circle 

My journey began at the University of South Dakota. I launched into the for-profit corporate world in Chicago, Los Angeles and New York City. After a divorce,  therapy and soul searching I gained a new passion to make the world a better place for my children. My new focus led me to vulnerable members of our community; individuals at Lifescapes and kids at Children's Home Society. Then the tragedy of the George Floyd incident peeled away my blindness to racial issues. When I heard George call out for his mom, it ignited my desire to answer that call for all the children of the world, regardless of age. I am now firmly planted in the non-profit sector.

The culture at Hurdle Life Coach Foundation is a perfect compliment for my long term efforts and dreams for the community. As a creative contributor to the diverse programming and direct reach into the community since incorporation I’ve enjoyed supporting youth directly, witnessing positive outcomes for adults and sharing the vision of a trauma informed community with peer professionals in the community. I am beyond grateful and truly inspired by the work of HLCF and proud to be a member of the Board of Directors. 

​Cassie Nagel is the Executive Director at River City Domestic Violence Center and former Education and Public Awareness Specialist at Children's Home Society of South Dakota. Her passion for helping vulnerable populations and making big changes inspires her to focus on prevention efforts. She holds a Bachelors of Arts Degree in Criminal Justice from the University of South Dakota and an Associate of Arts Degree in Business Administration. Beyond her education she is trained as a South ACES and Resilience Master Trainer and has helped to facilitate, coordinate and lead statewide education initiatives , projects and training in areas pertaining to building self-healing and resilient communities, individuals and families.  Committed and deeply competent about self care, compassion, empathy, and trauma-informed practices; a proud mother of two teenagers, Cassie lives and works in Yankton, SD

Hello my name is JJ Johnson and I am a co-founder at ACE Academy, South Dakota's first secular primary school rooted in anti-racist teachings. As a serial entrepreneur, local activist, community organizer, and local resident since birth, I understand marginalized communities and the organizations that interact with them. Through lived experience, I know first hand the challenges and obstacles marginalized communities face

Oftentimes my approach is unique. I lean heavily on historical information and context to help better explain the world we live in today. I enjoy work that focuses on the structure and impacts of race and racism within systems, institutions, and organizations. The perfect blend found at Hurdle Life. I have presented keynote speeches, workshops, and seminars to organizations interested in addressing and eliminating racial and ethnic inequities. I am actively involved as an organizer in my community and I serve on several boards, advisories, and organizational committees. In addition to working at ACE Academy, I own multiple businesses and love spending time reading. Not only do I feel like Terry Liggins is a fair and honest leader, he is a leader I am willing to listen to and help. My personal and professional experience makes me a great option for being a board member.

Dr. Mo, (Melissa Dittberner), PhD, CPS, PS, LMT, is a lecturer in the Addiction Counseling and Prevention department at the University of South Dakota. She has a Ph.D. in Counseling and Psychology in Education, a master’s in Addiction Studies and a bachelor’s in Health Sciences. Dr. Mo is a prevention specialist. She does research on college students’ substance use, pedagogy, addiction, trauma, body brokering and harm reduction. Dr. Mo has worked on grants surrounding substance use disorders, harm reduction, continuing education, telehealth, recovery support, recovery and much more. She speaks publicly on adaptability, resiliency, and sustainability, screening, prevention, harm reduction, motivation, peer support, Narcan administration as well as her own lived experience story. Dr. Mo is a person in long-term recovery. She is a co-author of the book Shift. Dr. Mo’s Mission: to help people learn to help themselves.

My Why: I believe in the mission of Hurdle Life Coach Foundation and want to be part of the change they are making in the community. I strive to surround myself with people who make others lives better and this crew is doing just that. 

Sheku Bannister has been with Midco for five years where he’s having huge success as a Market Account Executive. He’s known for being positive and hard-working, “I want to get 1% better everyday.

Sheku is a graduate of the University of Sioux Falls with a bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice and Sociology. He and his wife, Amanda, have three kids and two dogs. He enjoys making music during his free time and has a record label called Survival Records. He enjoys mentoring and coaching others, being outdoors and reading to his three-year-old son Elijah. Sheku is working on writing a book on overcoming sudden life changes through 3 B’s. Sheku was just recently appointed by the Mayor of Sioux Falls Paul TenHaken, to serve on The Human Rights Commission which he is super excited about serving our community and making a great impact. Both he & his wife also do life coaching for business professionals and mentorship with a business focus. Hurdle Life Coach board member and volunteer mentor.

I believe in Hurdle Life Coach Foundation’s (HLCF) mission statement and values and also the fact that I’ve been personally impacted with trauma and the justice systems stigmas. I am here today to pay it forward and HLCF always wants me to do so. HLCF aligns with my core values and mission statement

I will continue to inspire others through my message on overcoming sudden change in life. Hurdle Life Coaching Foundation displays that mission of restoring hope to the justice impacted population.

Thankful to be allowed to serve in this environment.

Randy Glasco is a serial entrepreneur in emerging industries and markets. Driven by a desire to change the world, he has overcome several social and economic challenges to become a productive citizen with a heart for helping others. Randy’s diverse background in sports, music, religion, fashion, and the social world sets him apart while providing a vision for creating new ventures. He currently serves on the Hurdle Life Coach Foundation’s Board and was an original board member of the Jet Award Foundation and Trust. 

Randy has the connections, heart, passion, knowledge, skills, and experience to help people overcome life and career challenges.

My Why Statement: After having met Terry I was immediately engaged by his energy and passion. I have worked with students in the high school as well as college environments and am very much aware of the challenges and influences they face in their schools, on college campuses as well as their own community that can affect their potential future opportunities. I am an advocate for Mentorship to assist individuals of all ages as well as helping individuals find the proper track for themselves in life to be successful. The support being provided by HLFC is a blessing for so many individuals, families and the community.

Alex Wood currently serves as the Assistant Vice President for Equity and Inclusion/Campus Diversity Officer at Southwest Minnesota State University. He currently oversees the Office ofEquity, Diversity, and Inclusion which houses the Access Opportunity and Success and Mustang. Pathways Program as well as supports student advising, student organizations and campus programming. In his role he also serves as the Affirmative Action Officer and Title IX. Coordinator. He works with faculty, staff and students to increase awareness of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion practices on campus. Wood came to SMSU after serving as the Assistant Director in the Office of Multicultural Affairs at South Dakota State University. In that role he would  oversee two Multicultural Success Advisors, for Latinx and African American Students. He also oversees the four student organizations that are housed within the Multicultural Center (Black Student Alliance, Gender & Sexualities Alliance, International Dance Crew, and the Latin American Student Association), campus wide multicultural programming, and student organizational budgets.