Arloishia R. Israel, PhD, has forged an influential career in leadership development and business consulting. Since 2018, she has excelled as the founder and chief executive officer of Stepping Stone Consulting Global Firm. In this role, she coaches business owners, develops strategic growth plans, conducts company audits, and facilitates networking opportunities with agency providers and businesses. She also assists clients with nonprofit creation and grant writing, helping them refine their leadership skills and align their business infrastructure with their long-term vision.
Before founding her firm, Dr. Israel was the chief executive officer and executive director of Trinity Care of the Carolinas Inc from 1999 to 2016. During her tenure, she made history as the first African-American woman to open a mental health facility in Stanly County, establishing it as North Carolina’s top female-led facility. Her commitment to economic mobility was evident when she created more than 100 jobs in Ardmore in 2005, significantly benefiting local small businesses. From 2011 to 2014, she worked as a mobile crisis clinician at Daymark Recovery Services, specializing in mental health and substance abuse services. She also led Stepping Stone Consulting LLC as owner and chief executive officer from 2013 to 2014.
Dr. Israel laid a strong academic foundation, earning an associate degree in human services from Stanly Community College. She continued her education at Liberty University, where she earned a Master of Arts in human services with a double major in executive leadership and psychology in 2011, and went on to complete her doctorate in clinical psychology at Walden University in 2017.
Moreoever, Dr. Israel is actively involved in civic organizations and has received numerous awards for her contributions. She was honored with the Heart of the Block Award by Block Love Charlotte in 2024 and was a four-time recipient of the nonprofit award from Train True Blue Nonprofit Organization from 2019 to 2023. In 2018, she was recognized for her work as a spokesperson for a foundation in Washington DC and received the business leadership award from the Chamber of Commerce in Stanly County in 2005. In 2008, she was recognized by Deli County and Tyra Banks for discussing the challenges faced by young, successful Black women in business.
During her career, Dr. Israel was diagnosed with an autoimmune disease that left her unable to walk for three months, facing a major career setback at the peak of her success. Determined to create something impactful, she leveraged her expertise to build a firm dedicated to helping others while privately managing her condition. She founded Stepping Stone Consulting, later rebranding it to Stepping Stone Consulting Global Firm in 2020.
Dr. Israel attributes her success to the values instilled by her parents, who emphasized education and integrity. As the youngest of six children, she has emerged as successfully, embodying the humility and grace her parents taught her. Her personal life is enriched by her husband and two children. In her free time, she enjoys traveling, exploring diverse cuisines, and immersing herself in nature. Looking to the future, she plans to expand her consulting firm to additional countries and regions within the United States while continuing operations in the Caribbean, China, and Mexico.