Tamara Satterfield, M.S., is a counselor, educator, and student-athlete advocate. She is also the  founder of First Chance U, which helps young people discover their purpose, prepare for their future, and reach academic, athletic, and personal success.

For the past five years, Tamara has worked specifically with student-athletes in Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools — the 14th-largest school district in the United States. In this role, she has supported students and families as they navigate athletic identity, academic expectations, post-secondary planning, and the social-emotional realities that come with balancing school and sport.

Her professional journey has taken her into counseling offices, classrooms, weight rooms, athletic departments, and family spaces — helping student-athletes recognize their strengths, clarify their goals, and build confidence in who they are becoming. No matter the setting, her mission has remained the same.

Believing that every young person deserves to be supported, prepared, and believed in, Tamara founded First Chance U to ensure student-athletes have access to personalized guidance, NCAA eligibility support, academic planning, and holistic development — especially for families who need clarity and direction.

Too often, talented students miss opportunities not because they lacked ability, but because they lacked information, structure, and guidance. Her passion is to change that.​

​Tamara is committed to helping student-athletes discover who they are, build strong academic and athletic direction, and develop the confidence and life skills needed for success. Her goal is to guide them in maximizing their college and career opportunities while encouraging them to step courageously into the future. She wants every student-athlete and their family to feel prepared, empowered, and option-ready when the time comes.

Join us on A Chat in the Garden with Monique A. J. Smith. Listen to our guest’s career path, her advice for others & current initiatives...A Chat in the Garden with Monique A.J. Smith, where Significance Blooms. Listen via Spreaker, Spotify, iHeart Radio, Amazon Music/Audible, or www.chatinthegarden.com. This is Season 13. Seasons 1 - 12 can be found on 200plus.expert.