MEET THE TEAM
Frances Boyde M.Ed Ph.D. Parenting Coach
Dr. Frances Boyde, M.Ed., Ph.D. in Psychology, is the visionary founder of the Adolescent Life Coaching Center (ALCC). With deep compassion and unwavering dedication, Dr. Boyde recognized the urgent need for a program that bridges the communication gap between parents and their children, fostering connection, understanding, and healing within families.
Since February 2008, she and her team have helped over 11,000 families navigate parenting challenges and family conflicts, empowering them with the skills and support needed to restore harmony and build stronger relationships.
Her work is grounded in research-based principles. Studies by Steinberg et al. (1991, 1992) highlight three critical parenting components that contribute to healthy psychological development and academic success in adolescents:
✔Parental warmth and acceptance – ensuring children feel loved and supported
✔ Behavioral supervision and structure – providing protection from external pressures and self-destructive behaviors
✔ Psychological autonomy and open communication – making children feel heard, valued, and respected
Under Dr. Boyde’s leadership, the Adolescent Life Coaching Center strives to make a lasting impact—one that extends beyond the home, reaching into classrooms and communities, fostering an environment where families thrive together, rather than struggle apart.
Her passion lies in helping parents and children rebuild trust, rediscover connection, and create a foundation of love, structure, and mutual respect—because no family should feel alone in their journey.
Adriana Escander Director and Trainer Intensive Parent Coaching
AD (Adriana) Escander is a dedicated, trilingual (Spanish English, French) social welfare and support service professional with over 30 years of advocacy and administrative experience. AD’s career path has allowed her to be acknowledged as both a team player and leader on a local and national level. AD is committed to using her experience to bring about positive change in the families she serves. The number of years she has pledged to this vocation allows one to recognize her ability to connect with families, community, and the courts.
She is an active member of the Florida Crisis Response Team, where she has participated in crisis response to victims including but not limited to hurricane disasters and community violence. AD also brings 15 years of experience as a certified Guardian ad Litem (GAL) specializing in domestic violence, dependency, and family law cases. Throughout her career AD has received extensive training through multiple national, local, and nonprofit organizations. Training received focused on DV, sexual abuse, human trafficking, and child victimization. Additionally, AD became a civil rights investigator identifying potential civil rights discriminatory practices. AD’s unique background provides her with the necessary tools to best serve families in meeting their case plan goals.
AD is a contracted partner with the Seminole County Sherrif Dept. where she co-facilitates the PARENT-TEEN Rise program servicing Teens and Parents who find themselves involved with the legal system. The goal of this program is to enlighten, encourage, and empower, both parents and their young adults towards an understanding of one another to include thoughts, feelings, and aspirations. AD hopes to bring the Parent-Teen Rise program to the community in hopes of sharing her experience with schools, community centers, churches, and community organizations.
Yesenia Santiago Director of Seminole County Youth Alternatives and School Programs
Yesenia Santiago, M.S. Counseling & Human Systems. Yesenia is a versatile, dedicated, bilingual social service professional with 30+ years of solid clinical and administrative acumen. She is a committed team player and resourceful leader with a proven ability to motivate and generate results through hands-on management, a sound knowledge base, and a natural ability to inspire and teach those she serves.
Yesenia’s experience includes – Clinical Director/Trainer for Suicide Hotline, Advocate and Children’s Counselor at residential DV facility, Prevention Educator for National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence, Mental Health Clinician III, Program Supervisor for Children’s Home Society, and Welfare Transition Quality Assurance Specialist/Team Coordinator/ Career Counselor.
Yesenia has a passion for facilitating change and creating hope for families in crisis while improving the quality of life for the child and the family as whole.
Yesenia currently co-facilitates the PARENT-TEEN RISE Program servicing Teens and Parents who find themselves involved with the legal system due to conflict or aggression. The goal of this program is to enlighten, encourage, and empower, bothparent and the young adults (TEEN) towards an understanding of one another to includethoughts, feelings, and aspirations (goals).
Yesenia hopes to bring the Parent-Teen Rise program to the community in hopes of sharing her experience with schools, community centers, churches, and community organizations.
Yesenia is also engaged as a facilitator of the REFLECTION group. This group works using the concept that, without reflection, there will be no change. In doing so the participant is encouraged to initiate a change in retrospective thinking, therefore producing positive thoughts and actions.
The goal of this group is geared towards the need for participants to increase their understanding of self-esteem, balance in power dynamic, self-control, self/emotional regulation, understanding of self and others (intentions), exploration of actions/reactions and lastly the importance of recognizing responsibility and accountability as it relates to consequences and decision making.
As noted with Parent-Teen Rise above, Yesenia hopes to share the Reflection group with the community to include schools, community centers, churches, and community agencies.
