Dr. Dorothy E. Hooks is the driving force behind the organization and fills the Chief Executive Director role. Dr. Hooks is a Author, CEO/Founder and qualified Christian Counselor who specializes in abuse recovery for battered/abused women and their children in Lake County FL. She is also an over comer by the grace of God from the bondage of domestic abuse herself; so she can identify with abused women. Not only did God deliver Dr. Hooks from the bondage of domestic abuse but from childhood issues (abandonment, rejection, sexual assault, etc.) which caused her to become a co-dependent and allow herself to become a victim of domestic violence. Now, Dr. Hooks has been blessed by God with two organizations (The Lula McGrady Foundation, Inc. - a 501 (c)(3) nonprofit & Abused Woman Ministries, Inc.) which help abused women and their children recover from the bondage of domestic abuse.

Dr. Hooks also was recognized by the State of Florida’s Attorney General’s Office as a Designated Victim’s Advocate, has completed the State of Florida’s Foster Parent Training, was a Radio Personality, and Speaker.  Dr. Hooks also conduct training workshops, group trainings, individual training sessions and counsel women via telephone/email domestically and internationally. She has opened the “Abused Woman Ministries’ Inc. School of Healing” to educate women on abuse and how to recover from it using the “Biblical Foundations of Freedom (BFOF) Program, “Abused Woman Recovery Program” (AWRP), and “Abused Woman Recovery Group (AWRG).

Dr. Hooks formed The Lula McGrady Foundation, Inc. and Abused Woman Ministries, Inc. in Lake County because of her goal to see people set free from bondage; especially, the bondage of domestic violence. She is passionate about helping the homeless, women of domestic violence and their children, divorced women, unwed teenage mothers, and teenage high school dropout girls. Dr. Hooks’ strengths which qualify her to successfully obtain her goal are:

• The ability to identify with the emotional trauma of an abused woman – she was abused.
• A Doctorate degree in Psychology – studied Behavior and Personality theories.
• The ability to identify with children of abused women - Recovered from child abandonment and  neglect
• Author – write books (from personal experience with inspiration from God) on abuse and recovering  from abuse.
• Overcame co-dependency, abusive relationships, low self-esteem, and is fully recovered from abuse.

Dr. Hooks has the ability to effectively meet the needs of every abused woman she encounters, to help them recover. She can say this because from experience, Dr. Hooks knows the goal of an abused woman is to be totally set free from bondage and be able to live independently. But before that can happen, the woman must get past their current mindsets of “I have to stay” and “maybe he will change.” To help them get past those mindsets, Dr. Hooks will not only use her experiences (as God leads), but will use the “Biblical Foundations of Freedom” and “Tools for Triumphant Living” Christian base educational skills training program to accomplish this.  Dr. Hooks’ first priority is for the safety and well-being of the abused, battered, hurting woman and their children.