Adam Starks, Ph.D. is a former foster youth who defied the typical outcome. Against the odds, he has been married for over 12 years to his wonderful wife, Emily. Together, they have three children, Jayden, Isaiah and Susannah. Currently, Dr. Adam Starks is an aspiring social entrepreneur envisioning a better
today for our society's most vulnerable children. His purpose to empower and advocate on behalf of foster, homeless and at-risk youth throughout their educational process aims to discover each student's talent and potential by directly addressing their vulnerabilities.
As living proof to what it takes to break the cycle, Dr. Starks' Urban Light Initiative seeks to establish a holistic education model by offering external services to assist the most disadvantaged youth in order to transcend the dismal statistics resulting from negative experiences during their formative years.
Dr. Starks does not believe that the learning process stops once you reach certain academic milestones. His philosophy centers on education as a passionate lifestyle commitment to learning. This awakening dawned on him as he was about to fail his ninth grade year. He knew back then education was his ticket to a better life and hasn't stopped reading or writing since his transformation.
His unique perspective and life experiences allow his catalytic leadership style to thrive in the most challenging situations. Influenced and inspired by leaders past and present, he views the world through the lens of a prospective learning opportunity. His level of self-awareness opens him to listen effectively and integrate the best ideas from all walks of life.
Dr. Starks plans to go well beyond his initial success to reimagine services to improve educational outcomes for foster, homeless and at-risk students in the Pittsburgh, PA area. For a more in-depth look into the life of Dr. Adam Starks, please purchase his book, Broken Child Mended Man. A portion of the proceeds will benefit the Urban Light Initiative.