We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Whitney Strauss. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Whitney below.

Whitney, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. If you had a defining moment that you feel really changed the trajectory of your career, we’d love to hear the story and details.

I’ve always been involved in community efforts, but something was missing. I found myself making decisions from board rooms and committees based on stats or a one-time visit, disconnected from the actual work being done. But then, everything changed.

The real defining moment came when I was presented with the opportunity to step into the role of Executive Director at the AdvoCare Foundation. Embarking on a journey across different cities in the United States, I witnessed firsthand the challenges people faced in making their communities healthier. It was eye-opening.

The burning questions emerged in my mind: What strategies are truly effective? What can we do to solve these pressing problems? How can the foundation promote lasting change?

To achieve this, I set out to collaborate with organizations from the early stages, working hand in hand with families over an extended period. I aimed to witness transformative changes within families and witness communities benefit from the power of access to healthy food, nutrition education, and physical activity.

An epiphany struck me. The work of improving health is challenging, but it is also profoundly meaningful. It requires a steadfast commitment, not just for a day or a year, but for the long haul – every day, every year, and over a lifetime.

This realization unleashed a new level of passion within me. I understood the power of focusing on driving change and impact on a daily basis. It became clear that to make a lasting difference, it necessitates unwavering dedication and a determination to make health a priority in every corner of our communities.

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?

Prior to my role as Executive Director, I had a career serving various nonprofit organizations and also working in corporate social responsibility. It gave me an in-depth knowledge about philanthropy but also what is going on in my community. I was part of a team guiding Lockheed Martin through a national restructuring of community relations and an impending 90,000-employee shortage by prioritizing STEM education in the company’s CSR portfolio. My other leadership roles relate to Dallas Regional Chamber, Greenhill School, March of Dimes, and the U.S. Department of Education, where I was on the committee organizing the first Mayor’s Back to School Fair.

I have always had the opportunity to pursue board service as well. Currently, I am on the boards of Dallas Holocaust and Human Rights Museum, The Concilio, Turtle Creek Chorale and Texas Ballet Theater, I also serves on the Board for the John Ritter Foundation for Aortic Health to raise awareness about aortic health and cardiac disease.

Also, I love to write and have authored two award-winning children’s books and plans for future titles. I also love running and cooking – both are big stress relievers to me.

Very soon, I will be graduating with my doctorate from SMU studying behavioral science and organizational development at SMU with the goal of becoming a true specialist in social change and impact.

My favorite topic of conversation are “my boys”. I am thrive in being a Mom to two busy teenage boys – one is graduating this spring.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

Most recently, it was continuing on with my doctorate. There were many opportunities to give up. Overall, I was told getting a doctorate degree was going to be very time consuming and difficult – especially trying to keep up with growing boys and work demands. It was already very tough. However, the pandemic and then my husband undergoing emergency heart surgery brought resiliency. Both events taught me never to give up. You really can work through anything with the right mindset, hard work and persistence. Now looking ahead to graduation soon, I’m thankful for that experience and perspective both gave me.

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

I think the power of humility in leadership is the path to success in my field – or any field really. No matter your wealth of knowledge and expertise, you need to keep going beyond your comfort zone and truly engage with the people you are serving.

Let me tell you, that experience was nothing short of eye-opening. I realized that humility isn’t just about being modest; it’s about being always being open to learning from others. And embracing that your previous perceptions about people, place or issue may be completely wrong.

In those moments, as I listened intently to the stories of those who dedicated their lives to a cause, I discovered a whole new world of wisdom and insight. Their firsthand experiences, their struggles, their triumphs – they taught me more than any textbook ever could. It humbled me.

Now, every decision I make is infused with this newfound humility. I embrace collaboration, welcoming the perspectives of those around me. I’ve come to understand that true leadership lies not in necessarily being the smartest or most experienced person in the room, but in fostering an environment of trust and mutual respect.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: www.instagram.com/whitneywstrauss
• Facebook: https://facebook.com/whitney.strauss
• Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/whitney.w.strauss