Woman of the Week – Shelley Bird

Here at Executive Elements, we like to feature 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 gals who have agreed to share with us their insights and secrets to success.

Shelley Bird

My Name:
Shelley Bird, most people call me Shell.

My Current Job/Company:
Executive Vice President, Public Affairs, Cardinal Health

My Birthdate:
Can I get away with saying you’re only as old as you feel?!

My Work:
Intense and varied. I lead multiple disciplines under the Public Affairs umbrella from corporate marketing and public relations to brand management and community relations.

My Passion:
Leveraging the transformative power of philanthropy.

My Family:
Jerry (my spouse and biggest fan) and Matthew (my son and grounding force)

My Heroes:
My mom – her quiet strength, bountiful kindness and unwavering dignity in spite of hard times have truly inspired me. And Professor Claire Woods – I would not have completed my doctorate journey without her pushing me to go farther and to enjoy the ride.

My Escape:
My art studio and walks in nature.

My Pet Peeve:
Arrogance and “baggage” – just let it go.

My Indulgence:
Champagne and any spicy Asian food; Greek food in Toronto and pepper crab in Singapore.

My Roots:
Hardscrabble, but I always try to bloom where I’m planted.

My Future:
Creative. Full of joy and new adventures.

My Love:
Besides my “boys” (husband and son), making assemblages out of found objects and exploring faraway places and cultures.

My Movie:
Art films and anything with Christopher Walken.

My Quote on Life:
“Adversity doesn’t build character; it reveals it.” (Told to me by my mother; not sure who the original author is.)

My Accessory:
“Host behavior” with a smile. And I love pins!

My Advice to Young Women:
Be courageous. Be honest. Be adaptable. Be curious. And help each other!

How I Balance it All….
Work/life balance suggests that I have two lives. It is work/life integration and feeling “whole” that is important. Some days I’m better at it than others.