Azanna Elise, established in 2021 is the lifelong commitment of service to the community, the vision of owner Katrina Elise Simms. Azanna, meaning “the ultimate” or “one who is superior” was given to Katrina during her experience with Harambee of Youngstown which is where she gained her love for dance and also instruction. Katrina has been a dance instructor since she was 15 years old and has gone
on to provide instruction for multiple organizations within the Youngstown area. Azanna Elise, was birthed under the vision of giving back to the community through various forms of service including, but not limited to dance, public speaking, group workshops, and seminars for organizations within the Youngstown area. Katrina is an expert in delivering to various audiences, through her hands-on approach and real life experience. In addition to her professional work, Katrina graduated from Youngstown State University with a degree in Psychology and Criminal Justice and went on to work for various organizations including Mahoning County Children Services for 13 years until her departure in 2017. Katrina is a member of New Bethel Baptist Church where she serves in multiple capacities, a member of Delta Sigma Theta, Inc. and a mother to daughter, Nadia Simms. Our mission is to assist, empower, inspire, organize, and uplift our youth and families through innovative and accessible intervention. We aim to teach preventative measures providing hands-on proactive individual and group sessions inclusive of families and agencies within our community. Our vision is to see long lasting change in the lives of youth and families in the Youngstown area. Working hands on with local agencies, schools, churches, and non-profit organizations to ensure we Assist with making conscientious choices to be our best selves at all times, Empower youth and families to reach full potential, Inspire by downloading skills into our clients that allow them to be productive citizens, Organize attainable life goals by exploring real life options, and Uplift our community to position themselves to exceed far beyond the personal limitations they have set for themselves.
