Member since June 2026
Rev. Dr. Lacette Cross believes some of the best conversations begin with a good question, a little curiosity, and the willingness to say, “Well, let's talk about that!”
Known to many as Rev. Dr. L, she's a speaker, coach, facilitator, and consultant with a gift for connecting the dots between things we often keep separate: who we are, what we believe, how we lead, and what we really want out of life. She brings humor, wisdom, fresh perspectives, and a healthy dose of truth-telling to conversations about leadership, identity, faith, sexuality, and what it means to live a whole, liberated life.
As Founder and CEO of The Wholeness Collective, Dr. Cross guides leaders, teams, and communities from conflict to clarity to aligned action. A former nonprofit executive, college professor, author, and Baptist preacher who knows that not every good sermon happens behind a pulpit, she brings years of experience navigating complex relationships, leading organizations, and creating spaces where meaningful change can happen.
Rev. Dr. L knows how to read a room, draw people into conversations, and ask the questions that get folks thinking. Her approach is equal parts grace and gentle challenge, with enough humor to keep things human. She meets people where they are without leaving them there. Whether she's offering a different perspective, pushing for specifics, or allowing silence to do its work, she creates an environment where people feel comfortable enough to be honest and courageous enough to consider something new.
Author of *Faithfully Free*, Dr. Cross believes we can take our growth seriously without taking ourselves too seriously. Her presentations are engaging, thought-provoking, and grounded in practical application. She doesn't simply tell audiences what to think. She invites them to examine what they believe, consider what's possible, and make intentional choices about what happens next.
Because inspiration is wonderful, but what we choose to do with it is where change begins.
Her invitation is simple: Bring your whole self, get curious, and let's connect the dots. Because clarity changes how we live, love, and lead.
I love connecting the dots! Especially the ones we've been taught to keep separate.
I'm passionate about creating spaces where people can ask difficult questions, challenge inherited beliefs, explore who they're becoming, and discover new possibilities for living, loving, and leading.
Whether we're talking about leadership, sexuality, faith, or navigating conflict, what excites me most is watching people experience that moment of clarity when something finally clicks. Because when we see things differently, we can choose what happens next.
I believe wholeness, freedom, and pleasure belong in our conversations about what it means to live and lead well.
I started The Wholeness Collective because I wanted to create the space I was looking for.
Years ago, I was searching for places where Black women could have honest, meaningful conversations about sexuality and faith without shame, judgment, or somebody trying to tell us what we were supposed to believe. And when I couldn't find what I needed, I thought, "Well, I guess I'll have to create it myself!"
So I did.
What started as a desire to make room for Black women to explore sexuality, faith, and wholeness became something much bigger than I imagined.
Along the way, I pastored, organized communities, advocated for change, taught college students, and eventually became a nonprofit executive director. Some of those roles were about following my calling. Others were about paying the bills. And sometimes, thank goodness, they were both!
But here's what I kept noticing: No matter the setting, people were wrestling with the same fundamental questions. Who am I? What do I believe? How do I want to show up in the world? And what happens when those answers don't quite line up?
Whether I was working with women exploring their sexuality, community members navigating differences, or leaders facing difficult decisions, the common thread was our desire to connect the different parts of ourselves and live with greater freedom and integrity.
That's when the bigger picture came into focus.
We deserve to be whole, embodied people. We deserve lives where our sexuality, faith, and leadership aren't competing for space but are understood as connected parts of our humanity. And we deserve more than simply getting through life. We deserve opportunities for joy, pleasure, meaningful relationships, and impact.
Today, The Wholeness Collective brings those convictions together through speaking, coaching, facilitation, and consulting.
And after years of watching people circle the same questions, conflicts, and decisions, I've learned that change doesn't always require a grand revelation or a perfectly mapped-out plan.
Sometimes you just need to take a beat, get clear about what's happening, figure out what aligns with who you are and what you believe, and take the next best step.
That's the work I love. Guiding people from confusion and conflict to clarity, alignment, and action so they can live, love, and lead with greater freedom and impact.
Because we don't have to figure out everything today. But we can choose the next best step.
I started The Wholeness Collective because I wanted to create the space I was looking for.
Years ago, I was searching for places where Black women could have honest, meaningful conversations about sexuality and faith without shame, judgment, or somebody trying to tell us what we were supposed to believe. And when I couldn't find what I needed, I thought, "Well, I guess I'll have to create it myself!"
So I did.
What started as a desire to make room for Black women to explore sexuality, faith, and wholeness became something much bigger than I imagined.
Along the way, I pastored, organized communities, advocated for change, taught college students, and eventually became a nonprofit executive director. Some of those roles were about following my calling. Others were about paying the bills. And sometimes, thank goodness, they were both!
But here's what I kept noticing: No matter the setting, people were wrestling with the same fundamental questions. Who am I? What do I believe? How do I want to show up in the world? And what happens when those answers don't quite line up?
Whether I was working with women exploring their sexuality, community members navigating differences, or leaders facing difficult decisions, the common thread was our desire to connect the different parts of ourselves and live with greater freedom and integrity.
That's when the bigger picture came into focus.
We deserve to be whole, embodied people. We deserve lives where our sexuality, faith, and leadership aren't competing for space but are understood as connected parts of our humanity. And we deserve more than simply getting through life. We deserve opportunities for joy, pleasure, meaningful relationships, and impact.
Today, The Wholeness Collective brings those convictions together through speaking, coaching, facilitation, and consulting.
And after years of watching people circle the same questions, conflicts, and decisions, I've learned that change doesn't always require a grand revelation or a perfectly mapped-out plan.
Sometimes you just need to take a beat, get clear about what's happening, figure out what aligns with who you are and what you believe, and take the next best step.
That's the work I love. Guiding people from confusion and conflict to clarity, alignment, and action so they can live, love, and lead with greater freedom and impact.
Because we don't have to figure out everything today. But we can choose the next best step.