As an innovative Founder, esteemed Career Basketball Coach, and former Professional Basketball Player, Marquetta “Coach Q” Dickens has devoted her 15-year career to fostering growth and development in value-aligned environments. Dickens is steadfast in her mission to generate opportunities that nurture personal growth, driven by her commitment to empower each individual to realize their potential and contribute meaningfully to society.

Dickens is the driving force behind Freedom Org, a Community Development Corporation, which is committed to devising comprehensive, holistic solutions for traditionally under-resourced communities. Driven by her commitment to live faithfully and uphold her family’s legacy of societal transformation, she founded the organization to foster economic development, equitable educational alternatives, agricultural independence, and the preservation of heritage within these communities.

With a Bachelor’s degree in Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Facilities Management, her educational background lays a strong foundation for her work. Additionally, Dickens earned a Master’s degree in Student Affairs & College Counseling. This advanced education not only underscores her belief in the importance of education, but also shapes her coaching-centric leadership style.

Throughout her career, Dickens has applied her developmental approach predominantly in the realm of sports. As a career basketball coach and therapist, her leadership style – characterized by positivity, determination, and an ethos of hard work – aligns seamlessly with her community endeavors. Dickens’ experience as a Head Coach, Assistant Coach, and Assistant Director of Athletics has enabled her to cultivate emerging leaders both on and off the court at esteemed educational institutions including William Peace University, College of St. Elizabeth, Community College of Philadelphia, Monmouth University, and North Carolina Central University.

As an invitee to the Big South Conference and Chair of the NCAA Minority Opportunities and Interests Committee, Dickens has utilized her influential voice to boost community participation in sports. And her dedicated involvement in the NCAA panel, ‘Growing the Game: Women’s Basketball in the Spotlight,’ further reinforces her unwavering commitment to this cause.

Dickens’ journey, spanning from professional basketball player to respected community leader, has propelled those around her, equipping individuals with valuable skills and fostering environments ripe for impact. Her dynamic approach to community innovation, complemented by her extensive professional experience and firmly-rooted values, allows her to constantly create spaces for leaders to unleash their potential and make a difference in their own communities. As Dickens strides into the future, her vision remains resolute: a world where every individual is empowered to carve their own path to greatness.