Sarlene Mingo, MSW

Sarlene Mingo is a native of Philadelphia, PA, where she continues to reside. She is the Director of the Parenting Support and Teen Enrichment Program (PSTEP) at Enon Tabernacle Baptist Church. She leads the program development of PSTEP whose mission is to provide parents and caregivers with support, practice, and tools that will enhance their ability to raise young people with strong character values in a trusted space that allows families to engage in authentic conversations and activities by emphasizing a strength-based approach to parenting.
With over 40 years of experience, Sarlene has dedicated herself to working with youth, young adults, and families. Her expertise spans program development, implementation, and facilitation, as well as character development, leadership, advocacy, education, academic scholarship, community service, and mentoring. She is deeply passionate about supporting the growth of youth, parents, caregivers, and families in their faith and nurturing healthy relationships within their families and communities.
Sarlene volunteers as a site visitor for the Foundation for Health Equity (F4HE) to aid in the awarding of grants for organizations that address food scarcity in the Northwest area of Philadelphia. As a team leader in the Lott Carey Foreign Missions International Youth Development (IYD) Department, Sarlene collaboratively develops and facilitates youth and young adult programs to help churches develop new generations of leaders for the world and support international partners in their missions and programming.
Sarlene earned her BA in Business Management from the University of Phoenix and received a Master's Certification in Project Management from George Washington University. She earned her Masters of Social Work (MSW) from West Chester University of Pennsylvania after retiring from Verizon Telecommunications with 35 years of service that includes training and development, program management, project management, team management, sales and marketing of Verizon consumer landline and FiOS products, customer service, community engagement, and employee development.
Sarlene pursued a Master in Social Work (MSW) because of her passion and years of volunteer service and engagement with youth and families. Her graduate studies and personal experience led her to advocate for the rights of returning citizens, those who are incarcerated, and youth impacted by the criminal justice system and their families. As a Graduate Assistant, she conducted research on the restrictions faced by ex-offenders that hindered their access to employment, education, professional licenses, housing, voting, government benefits, travel, and child custody. Her findings indicated that these barriers frequently contribute to recidivism. Sarlene then advocated for policy changes aimed at reducing recidivism and supporting ex-offenders in their positive reintegration into society.
Sarlene values healthy relationships in her personal and professional life. She enjoys traveling, bowling, and simply making memories with her two adult daughters, extended family, and friends