About Us
Rooted strives to make the arts and mental health services accessible to all children and families across West Alabama and beyond. We hope that bringing Rooted into our most vulnerable and under-resourced areas will have a transformative, generational impact.
Meet the Team
Rooted began with two moms who simply wanted to leave their children—and their community—stronger than they found it. What started as an adaptive dance class quickly grew into a movement that integrates the arts, mental health services, and the Gospel to reach children and families across West Alabama.
We met as colleagues at The University of Alabama, often dreaming of a world where every child—regardless of ability or circumstance—could truly thrive. Together, we founded Rooted to help build that world: a more accessible, equitable, and compassionate community that fills the gaps our systems often leave behind.
At Rooted, we believe every child deserves access to creativity, connection, and the transformative love of Jesus. We’re not afraid to ask hard questions, challenge the status quo, and design meaningful programs that nurture growth from the inside out.
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Founder
Jessica is a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker. She graduated with her Doctorate in Social Work from the University of Alabama, where her project focused on integrating creative and body-focused modalities into trauma therapy, specifically rhythm and drumming.
Her current full-time position is as a program manager for VitAL Alabama, providing mental health awareness training to first responders across the state of Alabama. She previously worked as a therapist at the University of Alabama’s Women and Gender Resource Center, where she provided individual and group therapy to students, faculty, and staff survivors of interpersonal violence, and also has previous experience working in community mental health.
She is passionate about researching and finding new and creative methods for healing the mind and body. Her drive for this ministry comes from her son on the autism spectrum, and she desires every individual to feel known, loved, and capable of greatness.
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Founder
Liz spent the past decade in both corporate and non-profit arenas in various marketing and communication roles. She spent the past 5 years working at her beloved alma mater in the University of Alabama's Division of Student Life. She had the opportunity to work with departments related to student health and wellbeing.
She spent the past 5 years developing an adaptive dance program for children in the Tuscaloosa community. After working with Jessica at UA, this idea developed into a more comprehensive approach to making the arts and mental health services accessible for the Tuscaloosa community.
Liz lives with her husband and two daughters in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. Rooted was inspired by her beautiful and brilliant nephew, Hayes. Walking with her sister through Hayes' life-limiting diagnosis of Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy has inspired her to create programs and services for all children and families who need extra support.
