(Pronounced: DUH-SHAH-ruh DAHB)
DeShara C. Doub is a dedicated leader, author, public speaker, and mental health professional with a strong commitment to social justice and equality for marginalized communities. She is the founder and CEO of Vision of Promise LLC. DeShara adopts a collaborative and inclusive approach, valuing individuals as the experts in their own lives. Her professional expertise spans various areas, including multicultural issues, pre-marital and couples, grief and loss, spirituality, religion, and racial trauma.
She holds a Bachelor of Science in Communication, with a minor in Pan African Studies, and a Master of Science in Social Work, specializing in Couple and Family Therapy, all from the University of Louisville. Additionally, she has a certificate in Black Church Studies from Louisville Seminary and is an ordained minister. Currently, DeShara is pursuing a Ph.D. in Social Work, focusing her research on the effects of intergenerational trauma within historically Black/African American institutions. Her qualifications also include Level 1 Clinical Pastoral Education certification and being a certified facilitator for the Prepare/Enrich premarital and couples program. Her diverse clinical experiences range from hospital chaplaincy in palliative care and oncology to working with youth services and private practice.
DeShara has received multiple accolades for her advocacy and contributions to mental health, including the Emerging Leader Honoree at the University of Louisville’s 2024 Wilson Wyatt Alumni Awards, and recognition as an "Up & Coming" achiever at the 2022 Minority Achievers Awards through the Center for Leadership Development. She was honored as a Way to Go Woman in Leadership by Today’s Woman Magazine in 2021 and received the Dr. Annie Lawrence Brown Mental Health Award from Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc. Other distinctions include recognition as an Outstanding Educator for Mental Health Practitioner, multiple honors from the University of Louisville, as well as Kentucky Senate recognition for her leadership and Congressional recognition for her community service.
She is actively involved in several civic and professional organizations, including the University of Louisville Alumni Association, where she serves on the Alumni Board of Directors, and the Washington Township Schools Foundation. DeShara also acts as a Community Advisor for the Restorative Solutions Committee at the Kent School of Social Work & Family Science and participated in the Leadership Louisville executive program.
