Rose Francois is a respected leader, author, coach, and speaker with over a decade of experience in education, workforce development, and leadership. Born in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, and raised in Jacksonville, Florida, Rose’s early life — as the middle child of seven, raised by a resilient single mother — shaped her unwavering commitment to people, purpose, and equity.

Rose began her career in higher education at Florida State College at Jacksonville (FSCJ), where she worked to expand access to education for students across the community. She later joined Year Up, a transformative workforce development program, where she deepened her leadership and dedication to building equitable pathways to opportunity.

Today, Rose serves as the Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging Manager at Opportunity@Work, where she leads with empathy and strategy to design inclusive, people-centered strategies that advance economic mobility. She is a proud champion for STARs — individuals who are Skilled Through Alternative Routes, such as community college, workforce training, or on-the-job experience — helping create fair pathways to opportunity for those too often overlooked.

Rose is also the founder and principal of A Rising Up Coaching,LLC, where she helps individuals, teams, and organizations align their values, grow with intention, and cultivate cultures rooted in inclusion, purpose, and wellness.

A lifelong learner, Rose holds certifications in leadership development, trauma-informed coaching, and conscious leadership for equity. She is the author of A Generational Cry: Based on a True Story of the Haitian Revolution and continues to inspire through her coaching, writing, and speaking — always grounded in her faith and belief in people’s God-given potential.