Be Strong International
Builds Stronger Relationships, Families, and Communities
Healthy Relationships Start with
Practical Support
At Be Strong International, we believe everyone deserves healthy relationships, but most people were never taught how to build them.
When conflict rises, many families, couples, and young people fall into the same painful patterns: arguing, shutting down, or walking on eggshells rather than approaching the issue head-on. Not because they don't care, but because they don't have the right tools.
That's why Be Strong International exists. Through relationship coaching services and practical Heart Skills® tools, we help people strengthen communication, repair bonds after conflict, and stay connected through life's real challenges. Our work supports stronger individuals, stronger families, and stronger communities through a trusted community support program approach.
30+ Years of Strengthening Communities
From a single classroom vision in 1992 to a nationally recognized organization.
1 / 10
Founded
Founded by Mrs. Althea McMillan, a Miami-Dade County Public School teacher with a vision to help families build healthier relationships.
What Guides Everything We Do
Heart-Centered
Every person we serve is treated with dignity, care, and deep attention. We listen to understand because real change starts with feeling truly seen and valued.
Joy
We believe joy is both a choice and a practice. Healthy relationships should feel safe, connected, and full of hope, and we bring that belief into everything we do.
Transformation
We believe people can rebuild connections, repair what feels broken, and create bonds that last for generations. We pursue change that is deep, lasting, and real.
Trust
Trust must always be earned. We listen with intention, communicate openly, and welcome discomfort as an invitation to grow for ourselves and those we serve.
Practical Support
Through Heart Skills® and our coaching services, we give people real, actionable tools they can use in the moments that matter most in their relationships.
Community Impact
Stronger relationships build stronger families, and stronger families build stronger communities. Our work ripples outward in ways that outlast any single program.
Think Big & Innovate
We are bold, curious learners who never settle for what is visible today. We ask the tough questions and pursue new ways to help people find the connection they deserve.
Meeting Relationship Challenges in Our Communities
Real change takes more than good intentions. It takes practical tools, caring support, and a clear path forward.
Start with the Real Challenge
We begin by recognizing the real struggles people face: tension at home, relationship conflicts, emotional distance, and uncertainty about how to reconnect.
Teach Heart Skills®
We equip people with practical Heart Skills®, tools that help them listen differently, communicate clearly, and navigate conflict in healthier ways.
Create Lasting Change
As people practice these skills, relationships begin to feel calmer, safer, more trusting, and more joyful. That change strengthens families, supports young people, and creates lasting impact through our broader community support program work.
About Our Founder
The Vision That Started It All
Althea McMillan founded Be Strong International in 1992 with a simple hope: that families and communities could learn skills that make hard conversations safer, clearer, and more caring. A Miami-Dade County Public School teacher and a teen mother herself, Althea understood how stress, disconnection, and lack of support can shape both family life and a child's future.
The People Behind the Be Strong International Mission
The leadership team at Be Strong International is committed to helping people build healthier relationships through practical tools, compassionate support, and real-life application.
Franccesca Cesti-Browne
Chief Operating Officer
Barbara Jean
Senior Program Manager
Raikza Bueno
Human Resource Manager
- A deep commitment to healthy relationships and stronger families
- Knowledge of practical tools that support real-life relationship change
- Community-rooted leadership shaped by the people we serve
- A shared belief that stronger relationships can strengthen entire communities