Here at Executive Elements, we like to introduce you to fantastic women we think you should know. Some of these women are clients, some are friends, some are women we’ve only just met. But they all have this in common: they are dynamic, interesting people who have agreed to share with us their insights and secrets to success.

My Name:
Lisa Carlson

My Current Job/Company:
Director, Early Childhood Nutrition and Education/Children’s Hunger Alliance

My Birthday:
12.15.74

My Work:
I have the privilege of working for an organization that ensures thousands of children in the state of Ohio get regular, nutritious meals and develop lifelong healthy eating habits. We do this through our Early Childhood Nutrition and Education program working with family child care providers, Afterschool program, School and Summer Nutrition program, and through educating children about healthy eating and exercise. I oversee our work with approximately 1,100 family child care providers in Ohio, feeding an average of 14,000 children per month.

My Passion:
My family. Helping others.

My Family:
Married to my wonderful husband Neil for 16 years. We have 3 very smart and beautiful girls, Laini (15), Maya (13), and Lexi (9).

My Hero:
My mother. She survived colon cancer when she was in her early forties. She is a very strong woman.

My Escape:
The beach. Weekends/nights away with my husband.

My Pet Peeve:
Negative people and bullies.

My Indulgence:
Wine. Spa treatments.

My Roots:
Rural Northwest Ohio. Humble. Loving family.

My Future:
Continue to make a difference in the lives of others as a professional, a mom and a wife.

My Favorite Quote:
“Let your dreams be bigger than your fears and your actions speak louder than your words.”

My Accessory:
Sunglasses. Phone. My girls.

My Advice to Young Women:
Be true to yourself. You’re beautiful, strong and worthy. Listen to your mother.

How I Balance it All:
I would like to say prioritization, organization, and planning, however, that would not be truthful. I haven’t figured out how to balance it all yet. I am not certain I ever will or if balance is even realistic in my world. I “balance” because I have a supportive husband and a wonderful family who is always there to help me. I am a work in progress when it comes to figuring out how to make everything fall in to place. Everyday I get a little better at it.

Here at Executive Elements, we like to introduce you to fantastic women we think you should know. Some of these women are clients, some are friends, some are women we’ve only just met. But they all have this in common: they are dynamic, interesting people who have agreed to share with us their insights and secrets to success.

Rebecca Wiggins

My Current Job/Company:
Non-profit Executive Director for AFCPE (Association for Financial Counseling and Planning Education)

My Birthdate:
04.27.1980

My Work:
I oversee the operational and strategic management of the organization. I am deeply committed to AFCPE’s mission to improve the economic wellbeing of individuals and families worldwide. We do that by training, certifying and supporting financial counselors and educators.

My Passion:
Faith, Family, Friendship, Social justice.

My Family:
Mark (Husband), Owen (6), Nora (3 ½ going on 15), Oscar (mini-schnauzer).

My Heroes:
My parents and sisters. They keep me grounded and encourage me to grow. They have instilled in me a passion for good music and for making this world a better place.

My Escape:
The mountains, wine country, a good book.

My Pet Peeve:
Narrow-mindedness.

My Indulgence:
Red wine, dark chocolate.

My Roots:
Born in Harrisburg and raised in Pittsburgh—hardworking, family-oriented, lots of love.

My Future:
Open, optimistic, growth.

My Love:
Good people, good conversation, good music, good adventure (and good wine).

My Movie:
When Harry Met Sally, “when you know you want to spend the rest of your life with someone, you want the rest of your life to start as soon as possible.”

My Quote on Life:
“To love ourselves and support each other in the process of becoming real is perhaps the greatest single act of daring greatly.” –Brene Brown and “Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.” –Martin Luther King, Jr.

My Accessory:
Earrings and a wine glass.

My Advice to Young Women:
Know what you stand for and believe in. Surround yourself with authentic, positive, encouraging people. Embrace the windy road–-sometimes things don’t work out how we planned, but we end up exactly where we need to be!

How I Balance it All:
With a lot of help! I am so fortunate to have a supportive partner, amazing caregiver for our kids and wonderful family and friends. The myth is not that we can’t have it all and love our messy lives—it is that we can do it all on our own.

Here at Executive Elements, we like to introduce you to fantastic women we think you should know. Some of these women are clients, some are friends, some are women we’ve only just met. But they all have this in common: they are dynamic, interesting people who have agreed to share with us their insights and secrets to success.

Katie Birch

My Current Job/Company:
Director – Product Management; OCLC, headquartered in Dublin, Ohio, is a non-profit library cooperative with member libraries throughout the world. We provide research, programs and services that help libraries share and organize the world’s knowledge.

My Birthday:
Nov 5th, 1971

My Work:
I am a Director in the Product Management division at OCLC with complete responsibility for one of OCLC’s largest business lines. Product management enables me to work across the organization and directly with libraries as well – it satisfies my need to multitask and have a lot of plates spinning!

My Passion:
At work I’m passionate about seeing software projects through from start to finish that deliver sustainable benefits to libraries, where those benefits are ultimately passed on library patrons.

My Family:
In Columbus, my immediate family is my husband Jonathan, and our cat Lily who moved with us from the UK in 2012 and I would include our wonderful friends in Columbus who have really made us feel at home here. In the UK, we both have large families with 11 nieces and nephews between us, fortunately the Internet makes it much easier to keep in touch.

My Heroes:
I admire storytellers and authors, who can create an alternative world for me to escape in to especially female authors like the Bronte sisters, Elizabeth Gaskell and more recently, Sarah Waters and Kate Atkinson. It is no coincidence that I work with libraries!

My Escape:
On a day to day basis, working out, reading, or cooking, but really, I love to travel and always like to have an adventure planned to look forward to.

My Pet Peeve:
People who lack a sense of adventure, or a willingness to try something new

My Indulgence:
My closet

My Roots:
A regular British family growing up in the north of England in the 1970s!
Try reading The Northern Clemency by Philip Hensher.

My Future:
To continue to be successful and the best I can be in everything that I do

My Quote on Life:
No quote as such, but a poem that I frequently return to which ends
Two roads diverged in a wood, And I
I took the one less traveled by
And that has made all the difference.
The Road Not Taken by Robert Frost

My Accessory:
Today, a very indulgent Hermes scarf

My Advice to Young Women:
Be level-headed and true to yourself

How I Balance it All:
It’s important to me to not to over commit and to find time for me every day, whether that’s working out, cooking, reading – just doing something that I enjoy doing, by myself – it helps keep me sane!

Here at Executive Elements, we like to introduce you to fantastic women we think you should know. Some of these women are clients, some are friends, some are women we’ve only just met. But they all have this in common: they are dynamic, interesting people who have agreed to share with us their insights and secrets to success.

Christie Hall

My Current Job/Company:
Business Segment Sales Support Manager / Huntington National Bank

My Birthday:
June 5th

My Work:
My work involves partnering with segment leaders on the sales process strategy and business focuses. In addition, driving effectiveness of our sales tools and processes with input around needed functionality.

My Passion:
My Family, Friends and Community

My Family:
I have a loving and supportive family which is where I gain my strength in life.

My Heroes:
My heroes include anyone who shows acts of kindness to others without expecting anything in return.

My Escape:
My escape is to travel. I highly recommend taking a trip at least once a year. I have learned I am able to gain new perspectives and grow by experiencing new people, places, food and environments.

My Pet Peeve:
My pet peeve is when people give up before trying.

My Indulgence:
Ice cream!

My Roots:
I am a small town girl who enjoys the simple things in life and enjoys spending time with loved ones.

My Future:
My future is to make the world a better place by one act of kindness at a time while sharing, smiling, encouraging and educating anyone who comes into my space.

My Quote on Life:
“Those who are blessed with the most talent don’t necessarily outperform everyone else. It’s the people with follow-through who excel.”
– Mary Kay Ash

My Accessory:
My Smile

My Advice to Young Women:
Take the time to understand your own values. Once you have identified your values, leverage them along with your strengths in an effort to leave this world a better place.

How I Balance it All:
….by one act of kindness at a time.