Althea McMillan

Althea McMillan, founder of Be Strong International, started the organization in 1992 with a simple hope: that families and communities could build healthy relationships by learning communication skills that make tough conversations safer, clearer, and more caring.

Althea spent her career teaching in Miami-Dade County Public Schools, side by side with students and families from many backgrounds. She noticed how a hard night at home could follow a child into the classroom the next morning. She wanted young people and the adults who love them to have words that built trust, not walls.

Althea's story also included becoming a mother as a teenager. This experience taught her resilience, and it deepened her compassion for anyone trying to do the right thing without a roadmap. She carried that compassion into everything she built.

Althea believed most people care deeply about their families and want to do well. What they often need is a calm, practical way back to each other when emotions run high. Be Strong International teaches Heart Skills^® that help people pause, listen, speak clearly, and stay connected through everyday challenges.

She wanted these communication skills to reach people early and often, before misunderstandings become distance. Her focus was on young people, parents, and the communities around them, so more families could face challenges with respect and steadiness.