We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Keri Norris a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Keri , thanks for joining us today. What did your parents do right and how has that impacted you in your life and career?

My parents have always emphasized education as a means of getting ahead in life. Coming from humble beginnings they both made sure that my siblings and I valued, respected, and attained our highest potential. Early on my mother always bought us educational materials during the summer and at a young age my father had me doing “homework” with my siblings even before I started school.

This foundation, impacted my work ethic, discipline, and surely impacted my educational attainment. I have multiple degrees and they are all related to my life’s work in public health. I strive daily to make a difference in my career, my volunteering (multiple health boards) and with my family. I have taken the lessons taught to me from my parents and elevated them to greater heights. I am my ancestors wildest dreams.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

As a TEDx speaker, motivational speaker, and author, what sets me a part is my genuine drive to make this world just, equitable, and fair for all. My latest work, #KeriOn is a weekly workbook that guides readers through my own quirky life situations and prompts them to make plans for change in their own lives. It’s a self help, self care, and self awareness journey. Through the #KeriOn brand I motivate others to do just that, to move forward beyond barriers, beyond others expectations and beyond your own self imposed criticisms. There is greatness ahead for each of us. Change your perspective, change your life and #KeriOn

Putting training and knowledge aside, what else do you think really matters in terms of succeeding in your field?

The ability to see the world from differing perspectives. To tap into my own humble beginnings and remember that although some of my struggles have changed, the lessons within are still valuable. The vulnerability that one must have to be a heat advocate for others is one on which you cannot and should not be afraid to embrace. I am able to achieve what I have on behalf of underserved and disparate persons throughout the U.S. because I can identify with the issues that concern them and I have the tools to help people make individual and community change.

Do you have any insights you can share related to maintaining high team morale?

Managing, growing and maintaining a high morale team takes two things; active listening and appreciation. Eve time has systems in place to manage the work but I believe that you LEAD teams. Listen to your team members individually and collectively and illustrate your appreciation for them in their given love language. When the opportunity arises for them to lead projects, trust them to do so and show confidence in their ability, I’ve often had to learn through failing first but I set my teams up for success.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.doctorkeri.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drkeri1908
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/drkeri1908
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drkeri

Image Credits
Flyer photo – P31 Publishing/JasmineWomack