KENOSHA — She grew up in foster care, by the time she was ten years old, she knew exactly what she wanted to do with her life. For more than 30 years, Dr. Veronica King has been doing it, right here in Kenosha.
Dr. King's journey began with a single person who made an unforgettable impression on her as a child — her own social worker.
"I learned very early of the importance of giving back. While in foster care, I had a social worker who came to the foster home to see me every month and I looked forward to the visit," Dr. King said. "By the time I was 10, I knew I wanted to be asocial worker."
That childhood moment set the course for a remarkable career spanning behavioral health, social justice, and education.
From working with foster children and juvenile offenders, to joining Kenosha County Human Services in 1994 — to serving as a Senior Social Worker with the Wisconsin Department of Corrections. Dr. King has spent decades on the front lines of some of the most challenging work imaginable.
WATCH: Kenosha woman has spent 30 years changing lives
Through all of it, she never stopped giving back to Kenosha.
"I try to give back to the community and be that voice for those that are afraid to speak up," she said. "I want to be that voice."
Her community impact has been recognized with Gateway Technical College's Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Humanitarian Award in 2012, a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Mahone Fund in 2015, and a Women of Influence Scholarship from the Kenosha Women's Network Susan B. Anthony Awards in 2019.
Today, Dr. King is shaping the next generation as an instructor in the Substance Use Disorder Counseling program at Waukesha County Technical College — and her message to young women is as powerful as her story.
"Despite your childhood or upbringing, you can be successful," Dr. King said. "I want to be that role model for foster children and children that grow up in the child welfare system — that you can grow up and be successful as well."
This Women's History Month, and every month, Dr. Veronica King is proof that one person's commitment to a community can change it forever.
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