It’s time for families to prioritize social responsibility for future generations
Our Founder
Born in Bogota, Colombia, to a humble, hard-working, philanthropic family, Mary Nastukov was taught at a young age to live by unshakeable faith and never hesitate to help someone in need. At eight years old, she started her own merchandise business, which put her on the path to discovering her personal contribution to the world.
While acquiring her B.A. in English from the University of Central Florida, she became a freelance writer and helped launch a young professionals magazine in Orlando, FL. Her relationship column, “Sex and the City Beautiful,” birthed her persona, “Dear Miss Mary,” which became her brand many years later. It was then that she fell in love with helping people love each other well. In the following years, she worked as an Event Manager, Advertising Executive and even acquired licensing as a Financial Advisor and a Real Estate agent.
Finally, in 2008, she found her place in church leadership in Jacksonville, FL. Her love for youth and women’s ministry fueled her idea to launch a faith-based teen magazine produced by the teens themselves. She also traveled for six years with some of the country’s most inspirational speakers, pastors, and national recording artists on the Women of Faith Tour. She has had the amazing privilege to work with a TV show called Building a Difference on TBN, help organize events for the Tim Tebow Foundation, and participate in multiple missions, locally and internationally.
Unfortunately, in the last decade, Mary has been through some of the most paralyzing battles in both her individual and married life. Overcoming bankruptcy, divorce, depression, anxiety, addiction, and then the sudden death of her husband in 2022, she is determined to use her own experiences to help bring hope and courage to others. It just so happened that it was in the midst of her battle that the world shut down, and WLA was birthed.
Mary’s hope is not just to share the miracle of her faith, hope, and love for others but to bring the same miracle to others facing impossible battles.