About
Founded in 2007, the Fight For Life Foundation helps underserved youth develop the social and emotional qualities needed for success. Since that time it has grown from the vision of founder Marlin Jackson into an independent 501(c)3 organization delivering services to vulnerable youth by providing social-emotional learning programs to more than 12,741 underserved youth.
Our mission at Fight For Life Foundation (FFLF) is to help deserving but underserved youth develop the social and emotional qualities needed to be successful.
These qualities include self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship skills, and responsible decision-making. FFLF programs use education, athletics, and wellness activities as the foundation for positive youth development.
COME JOIN THE FIGHT!
Our Core Values
Humility
We must always remain humble in the face of success and adversity. We must stay balanced in order to remain focused on our goal of directing children’s lives down the right path.
Creativity
We must strive to be creative in our thoughts and approach towards creating ways to help those less fortunate.
Perspective
We must always be able to step outside of ourselves and look inside in order to see how others may view the world around us. We need to always remain open to understand and consider the view of others.
Passion
We must feel with our hearts and souls the passion that lies within us to help those less fortunate. We must be able to absorb and understand the circumstances that exist for those we are trying to help.
Awards & RECOGNITION
- 2022 Midwest Decision Science Institute Conference Best Research Paper Award
- 2022 CLD Public & Community Service Minority Achiever Award Winner
- 2021 TechPoint Mira Awards Best of Tech Innovation Of The Year Nominee
- 2016 Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield Community Health Champion
- 2014 Indy’s Best and Brightest Education and Nonprofit Winner
- 2013 Indy’s Best and Brightest Finalist
- 2013 Phalen Leadership Academies’ Indiana Heroes Award Winner
- 2009 JB Award Winner (NFL)
- 2009 Ed Block Courage Award Winner (NFL)
Board Members & Staff
Travis Stegemoller
Board Chair
Travis Stegemoller is an attorney at Barnes & Thornburg LLP. His practice includes advising startups and emerging companies on a wide range of transaction and financing…
Jordan
Shady
Treasurer
Jordan Shady is a licensed CPA and Senior Accountant in the Assurance Services Group at Somerset CPAs, P.C. Jordan specializes in providing financial statement audit,…
Linda M.
Carroll
Secretary
Linda M. Carroll is a M.S., System Director, Mission Integration at St. Vincent Health. She is a Lifelong resident of Indianapolis growing up on northeast side…
Veronica Watkins
BOD- Events, and Relations
Veronica Watkins is a native of Jackson, Mississippi. A daughter of a preacher caused her to move from Mississippi, to Texas, to Indiana her sophomore…
Mary Azar Callahan
BOD - Board Development and Events
Mary Azar Callahan is the Director of Partnerships and Grants. Mary contributes to Indy Chamber goals through investments and sponsorships for Chamber programs, with a…
Heather Mesalam
BOD - Board Development and Events
Heather Mesalam has over nine years of experience in marketing, operations management, event planning, and personnel management with professional athletes and NCAA Division 1 men’s…
Sonya
Carrico
BOD - Program Development and Finance Management
Sonya Carrico brings almost 30 years of experience in grant development and management, community collaboration and government policy development to her position as senior…
Carolyn Gentle-Genitty, PhD
BOD - Programing
Dr. Gentle-Genitty is a passionate educator and servant leader who excels in leadership and curriculum development. She is service and student driven. She is a…
Lisa
Mitchell
COO
Lisa Mitchell is a passionate executive that finds her greatest fulfillment through using technology in innovative ways to solve big problems. Lisa brings her experience…
Andrew Morton, Esq.
Foundation Legal Counsel
Andrew Morton is a Partner and Chair of the Sports and Entertainment Law Practice at Handler Thayer LLP, where he serves as philanthropy and public…
Anna
Sutter
Customer Engagement Specialist
Anna Sutter is an energetic & innovative education advocate with five years of invaluable experience as a school counselor in Indianapolis where she used a radically student-centered and data-driven approach to support Hoosier youth…
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