Mariah Cooks is the CEO and Co-Founder of Living On Purpose. A San Francisco–based attorney, former NCAA and professional athlete, and community advocate, Mariah’s work sits at the intersection of justice, housing stability, and economic mobility.

Raised in the work, Mariah grew up inside the legacy of Changing Faces Inc.—founded by Mariah’s parents when Mariah was five—and witnessed firsthand how trauma-informed care can change outcomes for young people navigating foster care, probation, and crisis. That experience also revealed the gap that too often follows: youth leaving structured support and returning to instability, homelessness, substance use, or disconnection from school and opportunity.

Living On Purpose was created to close that gap. Mariah leads programs that equip youth and athletes with what should never be optional: stable foundations, trusted mentorship, financial competency, and clear pathways to education and employment.

For Mariah, living on purpose is a daily discipline of alignment and service. If you have breath, you have purpose—and with the right support, purpose becomes a plan that breaks cycles and builds generational change.