What, or who brought you into WBL? What about WBL’s mission resonates most with you?

Wendy: I called Terri Kline, who I had worked for years ago and still stayed in touch with, to check on her because I thought that she was working in a city with a very high rate of COVID-19 infections. I found that she was back at her home in Atlanta, two miles from my house!  I told her that I had retired and wanted to serve on corporate boards, as I had already served on several non-profit boards and advisory councils. She told me about her board journey and service and said that she would sponsor me for membership in WBL.

I joined and attended the WBL Board Program twice. WBL’s mission aligned with my principles. I took a board preparation course from a well-known institution and looked at other courses, but WBL’s mission statement was the only one that included creating meaningful cross-sector relationships, which is key to being considered for a board position.

Deb: I joined WBL in 2005 – very early in WBL’s journey. I was focused on networking with other women in healthcare and was attracted to the mission of WBL. Our founder Lynn Shapiro Snyder has always said that you will never have to make a cold call in WBL and I have certainly found that to be true. Now, so many years later, I have deep friendships, close working relationships, and many mentors who are WBL members. I use the WBL network almost daily to fulfill my responsibilities on boards, as an operating partner in several PE firms, and in my advisory work. 

Why is WBL’s legacy important to you, and why did you choose to donate to the Boundless Campaign?

Wendy: It is important for institutions, particularly successful ones, to engage in long-term transition planning if the organization will continue beyond the terms of the founders. WBL established and continues to have a culture of collegiality and collaboration, not competition, and a track record of providing women the opportunity for board position consideration. I would like to see this continue. The Boundless Campaign is one avenue to assure that WBL’s mission will last. I have been helped through WBL so I felt it was my responsibility to give back and donate to the campaign so that others can also have opportunities via WBL.

Deb: WBL has had a profound impact on my career, my companies, and my colleagues. As women, it’s so important that we bring others along with us on our personal and professional journey to the C-suite. Because WBL has been a foundational network for me, I want to be sure that others have the same opportunity. I am very excited that the Boundless Campaign will ensure that women from small, non-profit, and start-up organizations will have a seat at signature events.

The initial project of the Boundless Campaign is the WBL Fellows Program, which will work to help women-founded startups leverage the power of the WBL network. How have WBL relationships been helpful to you?

Wendy: I was appointed to a board because of a WBL introduction to the company leadership. I started a consulting company and the contacts and relationships I made through WBL led to consulting work. I accepted a speaking engagement at an event involving a WBL contact that led to additional work for my company. I have had many introductions and conversations generated through WBL networking. Not all of them have resulted in getting a contract or a board appointment, but all have been very educational, interesting, positive, and sometimes very funny! I have met people that I never would have had a chance to meet otherwise. I have loved the journey!

Deb: I’ve met and hired executives through the WBL network, acquired companies through WBL introductions, developed new and expanded customer relationships via WBL, and found mentorship and support during career transitions. WBL members have referred and recommended me for board and CEO roles. WBL has also supported women leaders in my companies. Most of my career has been spent leading HCIT organizations from start-up to a few hundred million in revenue. My WBL participation has given me access to key women leaders in much bigger organizations who have become my customers and mentors.   

What might the WBL network be surprised to learn about you?

Wendy: I took a comedy songwriting class online from Second City at the beginning of the pandemic to keep busy. I have a small collection of comedy songs (lyrics only) that I have written. I performed one at a pub in Ireland for friends!

Deb: I am a huge advocate of lifestyle to heal our minds and bodies. My mother was a staunch naturopathic believer and first approached sickness and behavioral health issues with whole foods, yoga, and meditation. After 25+ years as an executive in our “sick care” system, I’m enormously excited about many firms that I am working with to bring lifestyle issues to the forefront of care including nutrition, fitness, loneliness, and a broad range of “self-care” issues that are now being adopted by traditional medicine and considered important to managing costs and well-being by CMS, plans, and employers.