--- title: "From a Chance Encounter to a Life-Changing Career: A STRIVE New Orleans Success Story" description: "From a Chance Encounter to a Career: A STRIVE New Orleans Success Story" image: https://blog.strive.org/hubfs/NOLA%20%E2%80%93%20Tondia%20Fiffie%2c%20Cohort%206%2c%202025%20(1).jpeg --- [Skip to content](https://blog.strive.org/blog/from-a-chance-encounter-to-a-career-a-strive-new-orleans-success-story#main-content) ![](https://blog.strive.org/hs-fs/hubfs/STRIVE-color@2x-1.png?width=1027&height=514&name=STRIVE-color@2x-1.png) Open main navigation Close main navigation - [Contact us](mailto:strive@strive.org) [Contact us](mailto:strive@strive.org) Nov 10, 2026, 12:42:45 PM # From a Chance Encounter to a Life-Changing Career: A STRIVE New Orleans Success Story ![Picture of Danielle Jones – Outreach & Admissions Specialist, STRIVE New Orleans](https://blog.strive.org/hs-fs/hubfs/Danielle%20Jones.png?width=50&name=Danielle%20Jones.png) [Danielle Jones – Outreach & Admissions Specialist, STRIVE New Orleans](https://blog.strive.org/blog/author/danielle-jones) Share: [facebook-f icon](http://www.facebook.com/share.php?u=https://blog.strive.org/blog/from-a-chance-encounter-to-a-career-a-strive-new-orleans-success-story) [linkedin-in icon](http://www.linkedin.com/shareArticle?mini=true&url=https://blog.strive.org/blog/from-a-chance-encounter-to-a-career-a-strive-new-orleans-success-story) [Twitter icon](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?url=https://blog.strive.org/blog/from-a-chance-encounter-to-a-career-a-strive-new-orleans-success-story) [pinterest-p icon](http://pinterest.com/pin/create/link/?url=https://blog.strive.org/blog/from-a-chance-encounter-to-a-career-a-strive-new-orleans-success-story) [envelope icon](mailto:?body=https://blog.strive.org/blog/from-a-chance-encounter-to-a-career-a-strive-new-orleans-success-story) ![NOLA – Tondia Fiffie, Cohort 6, 2025 (1)](https://blog.strive.org/hs-fs/hubfs/NOLA%20%E2%80%93%20Tondia%20Fiffie%2c%20Cohort%206%2c%202025%20(1).jpeg?width=960&height=540&name=NOLA%20%E2%80%93%20Tondia%20Fiffie%2c%20Cohort%206%2c%202025%20(1).jpeg) Tondia, STRIVE New Orleans 2025 Sometimes the most meaningful opportunities begin with a simple conversation. One day when I was out shopping for hair supplies, I met a young woman named Tondia who was working at the store. During our interaction, I could sense that she was ready for something different. She appeared tired of where she was professionally and, more importantly, seemed ready for an opportunity that could lead to a real career rather than just another job. I told her about STRIVE, the training we provide, and the opportunities available to individuals who are serious about changing the direction of their lives. The timing made the conversation even more significant. I met her on a Wednesday, and orientation for our upcoming cohort was scheduled for that Friday. I told her, “If you are serious about making a change, come to orientation on Friday. Show up, and I will make sure you receive all the information you need to understand the opportunity in front of you." And she showed up. That one decision became the beginning of a completely different professional journey. Tondia attended orientation, committed herself to the process, successfully completed STRIVE’s training program, and participated in the professional development activities designed to prepare our students not only to obtain employment, but to enter the workforce with confidence, professionalism and the skills necessary to build sustainable careers. During STRIVE Professional Development Week, her hard work came full circle and paid off. Just two days before graduation, Tondia received a job offer from one of STRIVE New Orleans’ employer partners, Ochsner Medical Center. In just a few weeks, she went from a chance conversation while working a retail job she was unsatisfied with to launching a gratifying career in healthcare--before she even walked across the graduation stage. Today, that opportunity has grown into an important career milestone, as Tondia has now completed one full year of employment with Ochsner Medical Center, working as a Patient Access Representative. Reaching one year of employment with Ochsner is an accomplishment worth celebrating. Ochsner Health is one of the Gulf South’s leading nonprofit healthcare systems and provides individuals with the opportunity to work within a large healthcare organization while gaining valuable professional experience. Her continued employment represents more than simply finding a job. It demonstrates stability, commitment, professional growth and the ability to build a career within the healthcare industry. Tondia's success represents exactly why the work of STRIVE New Orleans matters. Workforce development is not limited to what happens inside a classroom or during scheduled recruitment hours. It is about recognizing potential wherever we encounter it, connecting people to opportunities and creating pathways that allow individuals to turn their willingness to change into meaningful results. STRIVE provided training, resources, professional development, support and employer connections. Our employer partner provided an opportunity. But Tondia had to make the decision to show up. Not only did she show up, but she stuck with it and did the work necessary to turn opportunity into a career. Tondia's story is a reminder that outreach does not always happen behind a desk. Sometimes it happens right in the community, when you're out running errands and an unexpected conversation helps someone realize that another path exists for them.   | ![A22A9980](https://blog.strive.org/hs-fs/hubfs/A22A9980.jpg?width=470&height=313&name=A22A9980.jpg)Tondia speaking at STRIVE New Orleans' 2-year anniversary event | ![040A0220](https://blog.strive.org/hs-fs/hubfs/040A0220.jpg?width=471&height=314&name=040A0220.jpg)Tondia with staff and attendees at STRIVE New Orleans' 2-year anniversary event | | --- | --- | **In Her Words** “I thought I was just going to work that day. I had no idea that one conversation would introduce me to an opportunity that could change the direction of my life. STRIVE gave me more than training. They saw potential in me at a time when I was ready for something different, and they gave me the opportunity to see that potential in myself. I made the decision to show up that Friday, but I never imagined that decision would lead me here. One year later, I am building a career, growing professionally, and creating a different future for myself. Sometimes your life does not change because you are looking for an opportunity. Sometimes the opportunity finds you, and your responsibility is to be brave enough to say yes.” Tondia's journey is a powerful example of the mission of STRIVE New Orleans in action.   --- **About STRIVE** STRIVE is a national workforce development solution for people ready and motivated for a new start. We offer tuition-free skills and job-readiness training, one-on-one support and lifetime personal coaching. We create partnerships with employers that result in pathways to life-changing careers while helping employers close critical gaps in their workforce. [linkedin-in icon](https://www.linkedin.com/company/222883/admin/dashboard/) [instagram icon](https://www.instagram.com/strive.intl/) [facebook-f icon](https://www.facebook.com/striveinternational) ```json { "@context" : "https://schema.org", "@type" : "BlogPosting", "author" : { "@type" : "Person", "name" : "Danielle Jones – Outreach & Admissions Specialist, STRIVE New Orleans", "url" : "https://blog.strive.org/blog/author/danielle-jones" }, "dateModified" : "2026-11-10T17:42:45.485Z", "datePublished" : "2026-11-10T17:42:45.000Z", "headline" : "From a Chance Encounter to a Life-Changing Career: A STRIVE New Orleans Success Story", "image" : [ "https://blog.strive.org/hubfs/NOLA%20%E2%80%93%20Tondia%20Fiffie%2c%20Cohort%206%2c%202025%20(1).jpeg" ], "mainEntityOfPage" : { "@id" : "https://blog.strive.org/blog/from-a-chance-encounter-to-a-career-a-strive-new-orleans-success-story", "@type" : "WebPage" }, "publisher" : { "@type" : "Organization", "logo" : { "@type" : "ImageObject", "url" : "https://blog.strive.org/hubfs/STRIVE-color@2x-1.png" } } } ```