As a child, LaVonda’s dream was to work in the Entertainment industry and she landed internships with award-winning producers, as well as a fulfilling Production Assistant job on “Mr. Belvedere,” but when she gave her life to the Lord, her pastor declared that Hollywood and God do not mix. She took this to heart until she entered the hallowed halls of Oral Roberts University which opened a whole new world for her. She persevered and graduated with a Bachelor of Science in “Drama, Television, and Film,” while also starting an on-campus Dramatic Arts ministry, through which she embraced the apostolic call of inspiring, nurturing, and raising people to lead and live purposefully.
As she climbed the ranks within the entertainment industry serving in several capacities for various entertainment companies such as Hervey & Co, Witt Thomas Films, and a boutique theatrical agency, LaVonda would suffer the unexpected loss of her sister, face a health challenge with hyperthyroidism (Graves’ disease), and experience miraculous healing. These experiences nudged her to redirect her focus towards helping women overcome their obstacles, blaze trails wherever they are in the world, and become the best version of who God has called them to be.
Furthermore, this inspired her to start Collaborative Effort Entertainment – a multimedia entertainment company that creates educative and faith-based, transformational content for Films, Television, and the Web.
Today, under her entrepreneurial leadership, some of the company’s best work includes The Lady Doctors pilot, pre-development of the movie Heart & Soul (an inspirational love story loosely based on the Biblical narrative of Hosea), and most recently, Season 1 of The Blend Talk, a weekly hour-long, web television talk show where accomplished African-American experts take a holistic approach to wellness to discuss the spirit, mind, and body integration as it relates to every aspect of intentional living for Black women.
LaVonda sees “The Blend Talk” as a ministry that brings Black women to the forefront, riding the wave of #blackgirlmagic as evidenced through VP Kamala Harris, Naomi Osaka, and Issa Rae, and as a result, the show is well-positioned to deal with a wide range of issues germane to Black women’s growth.
She has always had a passion for edifying entertainment which informed her academic pursuits. In addition to earning a Bachelor of Science degree in Drama, Television, and Film, from the prestigious Oral Roberts University, she holds a Master of Public Administration from the City University of New York Bernard Baruch School of Public Affairs, New York, a Master of Theological Studies from Palmer Theological Seminary (the Seminary of Eastern University) King of Prussia, Pennsylvania, and is currently enrolled in the Master of Divinity (MDiv) program (with emphasis Worship, Theology and Arts) at Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena, California.
Her early work as a field service agent for a Californian congresswoman combined with her extensive academic background in entertainment, vast business consulting experience, and ministry as an ordained minister create a platform for her to connect powerfully with Black women looking to align their lives holistically with the destinies that God has entrusted them with.
Through it all, LaVonda has also given back to the community by volunteering at Thresholds as well as participating in outreach trips to Ghana, Indonesia, Singapore, and Jamaica. Her life’s mission will continue to involve creating platforms where black women can go to embrace their history, live purposefully, align their lives holistically with the destinies that God has entrusted them with, and take their spirits, minds, and bodies from good to great
