To say Tesa Tapuriah has overcome a few obstacles would be an understatement.

A survivor of childhood trauma – and a former inmate at Taycheedah Correctional Institution in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin – she faced challenges that could have closed the door on her future. Instead, she chose to turn them into a foundation for change.

Today, her life looks nothing like it once did. Tapuriah is a student at the University of Wisconsin–Superior, working toward her second master’s degree in clinical mental health counseling.

She provides counseling to individuals who have faced similar struggles, owns two counseling and caregiver support businesses and has been clean and sober for seven years. She is also under consideration for a pardon by Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers.

“My lived experience was the catalyst for change and healing,” she said.

She is living proof that hope and hard work can create a new future. As the saying goes, she is “making her mess her message.”

Early Life and Turning Point

Tapuriah grew up in Milwaukee, in a family deeply rooted in public service. Her late mother was a sheriff and her father was a police officer and post office union representative. College had always been a dream – but one that felt out of reach.

“Although I always wanted to get a degree, I didn’t know the steps to get there,” she said. “There weren’t many resources available at that time.”

After earning her high school equivalency diploma and a certified nursing assistant certificate, Tapuriah found herself at what could have been a dead end. But instead, she discovered an unexpected path to higher education.

“Prison actually connected me to college,” she said. “The warden said we could either take courses or do ‘dead time.’ So, I selected the office software program and earned 14 college credits from Moraine Park Technical College.”

Once she discovered the doors education could open, Tapuriah committed fully to it. She earned an associate degree in human services with a focus on alcohol and other drug addictions; a bachelor’s degree in human services from Ottawa University; a substance abuse certificate from the University of Hawaii; and a master’s degree in addiction counseling from Ottawa University.

To meet the requirements for professional counseling licensure, she enrolled in the distance learning program at UW–Superior.

“I really liked UW-Superior’s marketing materials, and the fact that it offered an expedited course time,” she said.

She expects to graduate in May 2026.

Career Rooted in Service

While pursuing her degree, Tapuriah leads two organizations: Quality Care Preference, LLC and Respite Relief Solutions, LLC, both dedicated to counseling and caregiver support. She works with individuals navigating DUI convictions and those with co-occurring substance use disorders.

She also co-founded Joyful Souls Arising, an initiative linked to Saint Dismas Jail Ministry, which first encouraged her to write and journal during incarceration.

“Through Joyful Souls Arising, we mentor formerly justice-involved women and make gift bags for individuals housed at Waukesha County Jail on holidays,” she said, recalling how those tokens once made her feel remembered.

Her dedication has earned her leadership, legacy, community advocate and the resiliency Community Health Worker Award nominations from the Wisconsin Department of Health Services. She also received several business grants, which will be used to expand her programs.

After graduation, Tapuriah hopes to serve clients both nationwide and internationally. She envisions leading a team of credentialed professionals and peer specialists to reach even more people in need.

Redefining the Future

Tapuriah’s greatest pride is seeing her two adult children thriving. Her life serves as a testament that the past does not have to define the future.

“I changed the narrative of my life through academia and steadfastness,” she said. “I would advise others that, no matter what they’ve been through, that doesn’t have to be their future. We can always rewrite our own story.”