Evelyn Joy Coker is an Author, Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Certified Life Coach, and Consultant from Chicago, Illinois. Overcoming hardships, Evelyn endured tough life situations growing up in the inner-city of Chicago. Instead of using these life circumstances to shut down, she used them as motivators to excel in school and participate in outlets such as singing, dancing, debate, and music as a healthy expression of what was going on behind the scenes. These challenges were the beginning of what would become areas of passion to serve others. Evelyn went on to the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign where she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology and a Master’s in Social Work. She also obtained a Master’s in Business Administration from Dominican University in the Chicagoland area. Evelyn is currently a Ph.D. student at the University of Wisconsin Madison studying the experiences of teen girls of color in the juvenile justice system.

Evelyn has extensive experience providing direct services and administering programs in the areas of mental health, juvenile justice, and social services. A nurturer and teacher by nature, Evelyn builds strong relationships and motivates others to achieve positive outcomes. Evelyn's reputable success has provided opportunities for her to speak at national conferences and serve as a board member of nonprofit organizations. Most recently, she worked as the Clinical Director at a faith-based, trauma-informed agency on Chicago’s west side. Evelyn is the proud owner of Morning Joy, LLC where she provides counseling and coaching to adolescent girls, women, and couples. She is also the founder of Creating Opportunities for Restoration and Empowerment (CORE) Development Center, Inc. a nonprofit serving court-involved girls and their families.

Over the past seven years, Evelyn was an Adjunct Faculty member in the Social Work Departments at Dominican University and Northeastern Illinois University. She has also been an Instructor in Criminal Justice at Chicago State University for students seeking their high school diploma.

Evelyn’s personal life and professional work experiences have allowed her to greatly influence the lives of family, friends, church members, colleagues, and communities. She considers herself to be a messenger of something important and this is reflected in how she teaches and inspires others, especially teen girls. Evelyn is an author, a dynamic leader, a public speaker, and is committed to helping individuals become their best selves.

Evelyn lives with her husband and three children who enjoy family nights with cookie monsters and episodes of We Bare Bears or Hamilton the Broadway musical.