Traci Bakenhaster is someone who knows first-hand how it feels to be unprepared for life, not to know her purpose, not to know how to be an adult. She knows what it is like to fall and fall hard. In high school she was an honor roll student, involved in sports, clubs, and stayed out of trouble. But at 20, Traci found herself pregnant after a long history of poor life choices. She had no plan for her future, and did not see her own worth or value.

As a very young single mom, she found herself on the system until she lost eligibility, then the debt started to grow. She enrolled in college not knowing what to do, took out tens of thousands in student loans, ended up working three jobs at one point, and went to school full-time. It was the wake-up call she needed.

She knew she had to go through all of this hardship and struggle so she could help others not find themselves down the same path, that's when Raising the Next Gen was born. Since then, she has dedicated her life to changing the lives of teens everywhere.