We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Jennifer Potter-Vig a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Jennifer, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today We love heartwarming stories – do you have a heartwarming story from your career to share?
Rainbow Wellness Collective is an inclusive space created by and for the people of Saint Cloud and the surrounding communities. Our mission is to empower and uplift the 2SLGBTQIA+ community through a comprehensive range of services, dynamic programming, and robust community engagement initiatives. We believe everyone deserves access to quality care and services, and we work tirelessly to help break down the barriers that make it challenging to access these resources.
We understand that navigating complex health or social infrastructure systems can be overwhelming, but we are here to help. Our goal is to provide the right tools and resources to make informed decisions and take proactive steps toward improving one’s health, mental, or social well-being. With our low-cost wellness options, support groups, and other resources, we are committed to being a one-stop-shop for the community. In 2023, Seal asked members of the community how to make this work, and it was suggested that we create a nonprofit community center that could house the various organizations that support and serve the 2SLGBTQIA+ community, as well as create space for community members to interact, socialize, grow, and thrive together.
Despite facing numerous obstacles, we believe we are in the right place at the right time, as we moved into the expansive Lahr building in November of 20234. We felt this building would provide a safe space to impact the lives of the people we serve positively. We are thrilled to be offering our first public event tomorrow night that brings in multiple acts from the community, and we are doubling the classes we offer to keep up with the growth and excitement.
We take immense pride in our role as a source of hope and inspiration for the community we serve. It is our unwavering commitment to continue to empower and uplift those who require our assistance the most.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
I’m a seasoned leader, strategic advisor, and coach committed to guiding individuals and organizations toward unparalleled success through a fusion of strategic insight, operational finesse, and coaching expertise, and I’m excited to bring my abilities and skills to Rainbow Wellness Collective as their Executive Director.
My professional odyssey is a tapestry woven with threads of expertise in strategic project management, operational optimization, and the art of fostering greatness within teams and individuals. As a consultant, I bring a wealth of experience, offering strategic guidance that drives impactful outcomes and operational excellence.
Yet, beyond consulting lies a coaching ethos that defines my approach. At the University of Illinois-Springfield, I educate and coach graduate students in project management and health information technology. My philosophy extends beyond knowledge transfer—nurturing understanding and guiding individuals to unleash their potential. This includes my values of supporting equality, diversity, and inclusion. As a mixed-race person myself and having children in the LGBTQ+ community, as someone who has personally witnessed their struggles, I have had the opportunity to observe how they navigate through the various systems that are meant to assist them. Community members have often called upon me to help these individuals with this navigation, and I am always happy to lend a hand. From healthcare to education and beyond, I have seen firsthand the challenges they face and their determination to overcome them. Through my experiences, I have gained a deep appreciation for their resilience and strength in adversity.
As a senior leader and a contracted Executive Director within The Society of Vascular & Interventional Neurology (SVIN), I steered global stroke care initiatives, blending consulting expertise with coaching prowess to foster significant growth and organizational transformation, including achieving special consultancy status with the United Nations, building alliances and collaborations with foreign health ministers and other stakeholders. In this instance, I’ve seen adversity in different cultures and how this limits access to services. It always pulls at me and keeps me asking why. The human condition that restricts someone’s ability keeps me saying we can do better.
My coaching was pivotal in the dynamic landscape of startups like Rainbow Wellness Collective. At Livio Health Group, I coached teams to spearhead education and training initiatives, collaborating closely to infuse innovation and strategic direction into our endeavors while offering consulting insights to drive operational efficiency. This includes identifying gaps and finding solutions for care in mental health, substance use disorders, encampments, and unhoused populations.
Education and experience serve as the bedrock of my prowess. Armed with a Ph.D. in Health Services Health Care Administration, an M.Sc. in Management, Health Care Management, and a B.Sc. in Health Care Management, I continually evolve through additional training in leadership and specialized areas. This includes a certification in executive coaching from the Center for Executive Coaching, a certificate in Women in Leadership from Minnesota State University-Mankato and completing Trauma and Wellness for Spiritual Director & Companions through Spiritual Directors International.
Training and knowledge matter of course, but beyond that what do you think matters most in terms of succeeding in your field?
The ability to keep soaking up knowledge and to listen. You need to be able to actually listen.
If you could go back, would you choose the same profession, specialty, etc.?
Yes! You meet people for a reason and nowhere else, and in no other profession could you meet more of a dynamic group of people with so much to teach you if you are willing to connect with them and have that short and long moment vulnerability. I get the privilege to hear stories and live a different life every day because one day is another.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.rainbowwellnesscollective.org/
- Instagram: @rainbowwellnesscollective
- Facebook: @rainbowwellnesscollective
- Other: https://www.rainbowwellnesscollective.org/blog