By: Chuck Gillespie, CEO

After seven years of leadership to the National Wellness Institute, Linda Howard will be stepping away from the Board of Directors at the end of August. While her time on the Board is coming to an end, this is not the last you will hear of Linda through the National Wellness Institute.

Linda became the president of the Board in a time when NWI was dealing with transition. But as president, she led the hiring of a new CEO (which was me) and helped recruit nine new BOD members over the last year-and-a-half.  Just so you understand the magnitude of this, NWI has only 13 Board members total. What was most impressive about her leadership, is that she does it with focus, lots of questions, reflection, delegation, accountability, and flair.

Since December 2018, when I became the CEO, Linda and I have formed a relationship that goes beyond Board President and CEO. I have learned so much from her both professionally and personally. We have spent hours talking about what needs to happen next within NWI, and then in the next sentence check in with each other on the personal front.

Her laugh might be the most contagious laugh you will hear, and she uses her laugh as a super-power. But her ability to lead others, be a subject matter expert, drive change, and let others grow, both personally and professionally, is her gift.

She is elegant with her keynote addresses, and keeps you entertained and engaged. You will not find too many with the level of expertise in the areas of compliance, multiculturalism, diversity and inclusion, and how it all collectively affects businesses and communities.

Linda, your guidance has been extraordinary, your impact on National Wellness Institute cannot be measured, and yet your friendship is what I am most grateful for over these last 18 months.

Watch out world, Linda Howard will have some spare time on her hands come September 1, and she will be Leading the Change to make our world better for EVERYONE!