Maukeisha Alexis is an educator, communication strategist, author, and award-winning public speaker from Trinidad and Tobago who is passionate about helping people discover the power of communication to transform lives.

For more than fifteen years, she has served as a Guidance Officer with the Ministry of Education, where she has worked closely with students, teachers, and families. Her experiences in education have reinforced one central belief: communication is not simply a skill, it is the foundation upon which relationships, learning, leadership, and personal success are built.

Although she is recognized today as a confident speaker, her journey did not begin that way. She understands what it feels like to question your own voice, struggle with confidence, and battle limiting beliefs. Rather than allowing those obstacles to define her, she chose to grow through them. That personal transformation became the foundation of her life's work.

Through Toastmasters International, Maukeisha developed into an accomplished communicator, earning multiple speech contest victories, including becoming a two-time Division International Speech Champion. Her speaking journey has taken her beyond Trinidad and Tobago to compete on the district stage throughout the Caribbean, strengthening her conviction that courage grows every time we choose to speak despite fear.

She is the founder of The Courage to Speak, a communication platform dedicated to helping individuals move beyond fear, communicate with confidence, and influence with authenticity. Through speaking, coaching, workshops, interviews, and educational content, she equips people with practical communication tools they can immediately apply in their personal and professional lives.

Maukeisha is also the creator of the S.I.P. framework: Smile, Inhale, Plant Your Purpose, a practical approach that encourages speakers to pause with intention, connect with their audience, and communicate from purpose rather than fear. Her philosophy is simple: confidence is not the absence of fear; it is the willingness to move forward despite it.

As an author, she continues to expand her mission through books and training programs focused on communication, confidence, and personal growth. Her work with educators emphasizes that every lesson is delivered through communication, making effective communication one of the most valuable tools any teacher can possess.

Beyond the stage, Maukeisha is a devoted mother whose greatest desire is to leave a legacy that extends far beyond applause. She believes success is measured not only by personal achievement but by the lives we inspire, the confidence we awaken in others, and the courage we help people discover within themselves.

Her vision is to become one of the credible global leading voices in communication, empowering thousands to realize that communication truly matters and that when we change the way we communicate, we change the way we connect, lead, and live.

Hi, I'm Angel.

This mission starts right in our home.

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God chose us to have a conversation with us, his creation.

Our prayer is that this listening space brings growth and transforms your life forever.

Praise God for you Makisha.

It's a great pleasure to connect with you.

For those listening, what part of the world are you in today?

I'm in Trinidad.

Trinidad and Tobago, specifically Trinidad.

Right where I am.

Right here.

It would be fair to let everyone do know that I'm very familiar with you Makisha.

We've had a relationship for some time now.

I met you through a mutual friend and we've had lots of conversations and it's an honor to have you on the podcast to share your story today.

It's indeed an honor to be here.

Tell me, how did you come to meet Jesus?

I was 13 years of age and that was my first my first memory of really feeling the presence of God.

It was during a crusade and after the crusade I gave it a lot of thought.

I was baptized and that's when I started reading the Bible.

I started understanding the Bible.

I will say that as I grew into adulthood and the life happened, the experiences, etc.

I felt I understood it a bit more.

I understood the teachings more, the voice of God more, the presence a lot more than I did when I was 13.

However, when it comes to me having that first encounter, understanding the presence, the power of God and faith, I would really say that it began at age 13.

Hmm.

Did you always remain fixed to the faith?

Yes, there was a falling off.

The falling off took place during my early 20s.

Not early 20s because early 20s, I'm there at university.

I would say my very late 20s.

That's exactly where that happened into 30s.

That's when I got out on my own, no longer living by my mom and decided that, you know what?

I want to experience life on my terms.

I want to go to the parties.

I want to experience that because coming from a home where my mom didn't party, she didn't believe in partying and all those things.

I didn't do it.

However, when I left and went out there to venture on my own, I decided to enjoy life and see what the experiences held and how it felt and then be able to make more of an informed decision, I would say.

And behind the sights, would I have?

No, absolutely not.

Did you ever feel as though the presence of God left you?

I'm happy you asked that question because there were times I felt as though, wait a minute, God, where are you?

Are you here?

Is it that you don't want to have anything to do with me so that you're fed up of me, God?

I felt that way.

However, it wasn't for an extended period of time.

But I do remember feeling that way and it was when I was going through some of my darkest moments.

The thing is though, two things crossed my mind.

It was either, okay, the Holy Spirit is really tired of me right now or according to one of my mom's favorite, favorite, should we call it, what do we call this story?

It's on a plaque.

It's called the footprints on the sand that she had the day I grew up with it as a child.

And it spoke about this man who dreamt he was walking with God.

And when he looked back, you know, he's like, God, why is that?

Why is it that during my most difficult seasons, I'm seeing only one pair of footprints?

Is it that you left me?

And God responded and told him, no, when you were going through your darkest moments, I carried you.

Whenever I remember that, I always say to myself, okay, Makisha, he hasn't left you and now he's carrying you.

I should say, I hope he didn't leave me.

You speak about your mother twice now, right?

And the contribution she had to your life.

Uh, does she believe that today you're in a better place?

Yes, I would say that she, she knows that I'm in a better place because the best way for us to know how someone is doing, if improvements would have taken place is by their actions, their repeated actions, their patterns, their habits, and also their fruits.

I know that mommy would definitely know that I'm in a, I'm in a better place.

I'm doing way better.

I am reconnecting.

I would say, cause it's a process.

It's something continuous.

You don't, you don't get up and say, you know, what's okay.

I'm all for Jesus.

I'm back on track.

It's something that you have to do.

You have to make that decision to do every single day.

And her being a part of my journey ever since I was, I was born.

I know that mommy is able to look and see, okay, yeah.

My Keisha is back home.

Like that prodigal daughter.

You talked about getting into university.

What was your choice of career path?

It was behavioral sciences with an emphasis in psychology and family studies.

And what ended up being your job?

I'm presently a guidance officer, one by profession, or some call it a guidance counselor.

Primarily working with the schools.

Yes.

With the schools.

Now the speaking side of what you do and your children.

Now I'm aware that you have two children.

So how has the, both things been impacted by having your children in terms of being a guidance officer and then applying the skillset to your children?

When you said that, when you asked that particular question, the first thing I thought about was how much sometimes, and I say to parents during parents meeting, I am standing before you as a guidance officer.

However, I'm a parent first and I'm figuring it out as I go.

Being a guidance officer has helped me parent even better because I'm able to see and be reminded of some of the challenges faced at school.

I am reminded of some of, you know, children are children, children will be children.

Sometimes I'm able to apply some of my, my training with my kids as well.

However, in all honesty, sometimes I don't want to say most of times.

I often wonder if when I get home from work, if I have the energy level that I should have to give my children that attention that they need and help them work through that particular conflict or situation they may be facing at that time.

However, it has dealing with being a guidance officer and having children.

It's, it has made it easier for me.

However, I feel as though there are parts where I'm not able to show up as I should.

For example, if I have a day that really drained me, oh my goodness, I get home from work and I'm like, oh, I don't know how much I could do with you all today and really wish that they were at that particular stage where I didn't have to do much for them.

Sometimes as well, when faced with different situations, for example, I remember one situation in particular that was last term, the two students and I'm there, I'm sitting there in the principal's office and I'm wondering, I'm asking myself, wow, sometimes as parents we say that our children know that they can talk to us and they know that they can communicate with us.

But are we really setting the stage for that?

Is it that we feel as though preparing for them every day for school and showing that they have their supplies or sending them to school?

Is it that we feel as though doing that is communicating that I'm here for you and you can talk to me?

Now, while it would or it may be, it goes deeper than that.

And I remember asking myself that question, what can I do as a parent to ensure that the doors of communication remains open whereby my children will know that even though I did this, even though I messed up, I can tell mommy.

Yes, she may be upset.

However, I can tell mommy, I will not hide it from her.

If she asks me about it, I'll be able to share it with her because I know that she, I want to say have my back, but yes, she has my back.

But at the same time, I'm comfortable communicating my wins and my losses with her.

Five years from today, listening to this conversation, what's a message you'd leave for future you?

I'll say Makisha, and I'm quoting Martin Luther King's quote when he said, if you cannot fly, run.

And if you can't run, walk.

And if you can't walk, crawl.

But whatever you do, you have to keep moving forward.

I would say that because I am big on consistency and sometimes I do fall off the bandwagon.

However, I want to say to future you, Makisha, even though you can't go 100, go 80.

You can go 80 or 50.

Whatever you do, stay on track, keep moving, and you're going to get there.

Makisha, it's been an honor speaking with you.

In closing, is there anything else you'd like to share?

I'm really happy for this opportunity to be here on the podcast.

Thank you so much for having me.

Makisha, Alexis, a pleasure, I treasure.

Thank you for being on What Is Inspired by 12 and the Chronicles.