Born in upstate New York, Yolanda grew up in  Milwaukee and is raising a 14-year-old daughter, Nyla. She has a bachelor’s degree in mass communications from UWM with a minor in cultural anthropology, and a certificate in Professional Communication from Alverno College.  She has taught English, 6-12th Grades, in various schools in Milwaukee. She runs Hands of Hers, a women-based training and consulting business. Recently she has taken on the post of Copy Editor for CitiGal Magazine.