Day job/ career:
Retired after 32 years in education as a teacher, coach, and principal; and then 7 years as Human Resource Manager for a private sector company. I still work part time doing educational consulting and school evaluations, and some recruiting and hiring.
How did you become involved with Our Community Listens?
My wife and I were out to dinner with good friends that happened to have taken the class. They encouraged us to sign up for the CST course, and we did (separately of course). When the Michigan chapter announced the expansion to Grand Rapids and the Lakeshore, I applied to be a professor candidate, and was fortunate to be chosen.
What is your hope for Our Community Listens?
My hope for Our Community Listens is that we can experience expansion to new locations and continue to fill CST classes across our country and abroad. I firmly believe that as more and more people are exposed to these life-changing concepts, we will see a positive impact to the culture of our families, work places, organizations, and communities. We need that now more than ever.
How do you most often find yourself using what you learned in CST?
Rarely do people come to me with specific issues like they used to in my former roles, but in my daily interactions I try to default to CST skills. I believe these skills have helped me be a more effective leader on the local boards I am a member of, and have certainly enhanced the relationships I have with my seven grandchildren.
What is your favorite quote?
“You don’t have to be sick to get better.”