Wellness leader and advocate, founding OptWell, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, and serving on multiple non-profit boards and committees
This shaped my passion for mental health and wellness at an early age.
Studying organizational psychology at The University of Illinois, serving in consulting roles at global organizations (BP and Accenture), and leading Human Resources and Internal Branding for a 130-person marketing start-up early in my career in Chicago fueled my interest in business and deepened my skills in strategy, talent management, process reengineering, and technology transformations. Helping leaders and their teams reach their highest potential and achieve peak performance has always been a focus for me.
In 2006, my world came to a crossroads. I was leading a team at ABN AMRO when our 3-year-old son was diagnosed on the autism spectrum, our 11-month old was showing signs of developmental delay, and my mother was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. I made the tough decision to leave my corporate leadership role and start my executive coaching and consulting business in 2007 with just one client. This gave me time to dive ‘all in’ and learn everything I could about autism, early childhood intervention, and Alzheimer’s to care for our sons and help my parents manage my mother's Alzheimer's progression and care.
I also stepped into non-profit board leadership roles with a state-wide autism organization, a local school board, and a health foundation in the Chicago area. Experience serving on boards enhanced my perspective and expertise in coaching C-level executives.
After years of therapy and significant dietary changes, our oldest son moved off the autism spectrum, our youngest son began to thrive, my business grew with more clients, and I started playing tennis competitively, learning even more about mental toughness on and off the court.
I integrate leadership and personal effectiveness strategies from diverse sources, including mental health, wellness, and even sports psychology, to name a few. This often extends to coaching my leadership clients through personal challenges like enhancing health and wellness, strengthening personal relationships, and managing stress. This passion for wellness recently led me to found OptWell, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit where I serve as president, applying these same evidence-based wellness principles to create community-wide impact in Chicago's western suburbs.
Watching my dear mother’s 13-year cognitive decline and early death from Alzheimer’s disease, I began actively researching how I and others can prevent it.
While genetics do contribute (my grandmother also succumbed to dementia), 45% of global Alzheimer’s and other dementia cases can be prevented or at least delayed by adopting brain healthy behaviors, which I have incorporated into my own lifestyle. As I learn more from emerging research, I continue to evolve my risk reduction regimen. I’ve been doing this now for 19 years.
Alzheimer’s risk reduction evidence is encouraging, but still inconclusive.
Founder and President of OptWell, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization promoting healthy habits and community wellness through education, resource connection, and social support in Chicago's western suburbs
