2024 Luminary Shamicka Demery – Growing by Uplifting Others

Shamicka Demery found her way to the Bobby Dodd Institute after completing a 15-month tour in Iraq. A U.S. Army veteran, Shamicka was a strong fit for BDI’s Contact Center, which in its early days employed only veterans transitioning into civilian jobs. She recalls feeling immediately at home among her coworkers, all of whom could relate to her military experiences.

Shamicka has been instrumental in facilitating the Contact Center’s growth from a pilot program to BDI’s second-highest source of earned revenue. One of the first four Contact Center agents, Shamicka trained and worked her way up through a series of supervisor roles to the position of Workforce Manager. Shamicka has recruited, trained, and mentored dozens of agents and team leads, ensuring that the Contact Center is equipped to meet the needs of its clients.

As she has grown personally and professionally, Shamicka has developed a new way of thinking about disabilities. She used to worry that people would perceive or treat her differently if she disclosed her diagnosis of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), but now she wants everyone to know that disability does not define people and what they can do.