Latoya Hazell-Alcide, MDiv is an author, chaplain, speaker, mentor, and advocate whose work centers on healing, faith formation, and trauma-informed ministry. A native of St. Lucia, Latoya’s life journey has been shaped by both Caribbean and American cultural experiences. Through the joys and challenges of her personal story, she developed a deep compassion for those navigating pain, crisis, and spiritual questions. What began as personal growth evolved into a life calling: helping individuals and communities experience restoration, resilience, and hope.

Latoya has served in a variety of ministry, media, and leadership roles. Earlier in her career, she worked in broadcasting as a radio personality, sound engineer, producer, and administrator at WDJZ Radio 1530AM in Bridgeport, Connecticut. Her creative gifts later expanded into media production and photography, leading her to establish Yandia Designs and Photography, a media and creative services company supporting churches and organizations with communications, photography, web design, and visual storytelling.

Following the devastation of Hurricane Tomas in 2010, Latoya founded the nonprofit organization H.E.L.E.N. (Helping Every Lucian Empowering a Nation). Through this initiative, she mobilized support for hurricane victims in St. Lucia and coordinated relief efforts across international communities. Her advocacy work continued through initiatives focused on abuse awareness, suicide prevention, and emotional healing. She created the ministry platform Related Healing, which provides devotionals, resources, and mentoring support for women and families navigating trauma and recovery. Latoya has also served as an empowerment facilitator with 4RWI, Inc., co-facilitating workshops addressing topics such as divorce recovery, emotional health, and women’s empowerment. One of the experiences that deeply shaped her ministry was serving at Blue Mountain Academy, a Christian boarding academy, where she worked in several roles, including assistant chaplain and student life supervisor, supporting the spiritual and emotional development of young people.

Latoya holds degrees in Criminal Justice and Divinity and an Ecclesiastical Endorsement in Campus Ministry through the North American Division Adventist Chaplaincy Ministries. Her additional training includes:

• ACS Nonprofit Leadership Certification

• Youth Mental Health First Aid

• Emotional and Spiritual Care / Group Crisis Intervention

• Urban Mission and Ministry Training

• NAD LGBTQ+ Cultural Competency Training

She is currently completing her healthcare chaplaincy training and is a Doctor of Ministry student at Andrews University, with a concentration in homelectics. Latoya’s writing ministry extends across several denominational publications. She has written devotionals and articles for Praizeblogs, Andrews Seminary Magazine, Outlook Magazine, and Message Magazine, addressing themes of faith, grief, justice, and healing. She is also the host and producer of Life Talks TV, a YouTube series exploring conversations about life, faith, relationships, and pathways to healing.

Latoya is the author of several books, including:

• I Will Rescue You (Prayer Guide)

• 180 Degrees: Life Lessons and Principles to Help Change Our Mindset

• Water My Soul Devotional 

Newly published works:

• Connect Four: Building Wholeness from God to Community

• Hot Tea: A Year of Steeped Devotion

Upcoming works include:​​

• Good Grief

• My Little Butterfly (the story of her daughter Victoria’s life-saving miracle)

• Safe House: Teen Devotional

Her life’s mission is rooted in a simple but powerful calling:

to help build trauma-informed faith communities where spiritual, emotional, mental, and physical healing are taken seriously.

Her vision is to see trauma-informed churches and resilient communities where people encounter the healing presence of God in both ministry and everyday life.

Above all, Latoya considers her greatest role to be a daughter of God and, close to that, a woman, community member, and mother. She is the proud mother of three young adults: Sierra, Nigel, and Victoria.