It’s an honor to inspire and empower others by showing them that their dreams are achievable. 
Learning Constantly
Lisa Rhine, Ph.D., is not proud of her upbringing. “It wasn’t pretty. In fact, it was painful,” she said. “I grew up in an impoverished home where the only thing that was consistent was chaos.” Her father, a single parent of six who left school after 8th grade, worked three jobs to feed the family. When he wasn’t successful, young Lisa and her siblings were shuttled around to foster care.
“I knew, even at a young age, somehow, that education was the thing that would lift me out of this mess and be the lever that would catapult me out of challenging, even dire, circumstances and change not only my fate, but the fate of the next generation.”
Rhine was the first in her family to attend college. It wasn’t easy, but she kept pushing through, through her bachelor’s degree, through her master’s degree, and through her doctoral degree. “The adversity you experience in your life is actually what builds your leadership ‘muscle.’ In my experience as a senior leader in academia at colleges and universities, I have learned that a key aspect to leadership success is resilience. Resilience develops as we adapt, bounce back and maintain a positive mindset and a high level of perseverance and determination in the face of challenges.”
Acting Courageously
From a very tender age, Barbara Morris always wanted the same opportunities as the boys. As a young teen, she determined she wanted to be President of the United States. “This was an outrageous thought in the ’70s,” she said, “but I read a famous book at the time by C. Wright Mills called ‘The Power Elite’ that said for those to excel in leadership they had to have three aspects in their career: politics, business and military.” She set out on her plan at age 14.
“The issue was how to get political, business and military experience as a girl at the time,” she said. Morris pursued a double major in political science and economics at San Diego State University, plus a minor in women’s studies. However, according to her plan, she still needed military experience.
“There was a flier stating the Air Force was looking for the first six women pilots, so I decided to apply.” After 18 months of boot camp, she was among the first group of women to be in oxygen deprivation tanks and was accepted into the program. Morris was on the flight path of her dreams. Then, unexpected turbulence. Sixteen years later, she found herself mustering the courage to leave a difficult relationship with three kids, no money and no job prospects.
Living Authentically
From an early age, Sheri Heiney learned that success often lies beyond the familiar and comfortable. “As a woman stepping into leadership roles, I encountered unfamiliar territory, where stereotypes and biases tried to undermine my capabilities. However, I embraced these challenges, turning them into opportunities for growth.”
Heiney studied hospitality management, earned her real estate license, Learned about insurance licensing and pursued other specialty areas. “I wanted to understand more things and how they blended together.”
She then embraced leadership in a big way in Rochester, Michigan, as the president of the Chamber of Commerce, an area comparable in size to the entire Quad Cities.
“I am deeply aware of the impact my actions have on those around me, especially young women aspiring to leadership roles. It’s an honor to inspire and empower others by showing them that their dreams are achievable. Authenticity, resilience and empathy are crucial traits that can leave a lasting impression on the next generation of leaders.”
Being true to herself, Heiney listens to her heart. “I’ve always wanted to have my own business.” Her love for animals explains the rescued donkey and pony in her household, along with the lively lab puppy she has in therapy training. Today, she is considering combining these passions.
Find out more about how Lisa Rhine, Barbara Morris and Sheri Heiney came to be leading ladies in the Quad Cities and how they created their personal blueprints for success. The three will share their journeys on the Women in Leadership Panel at the Quad Cities ATHENA Leadership Awards, starting at 3 p.m., Sunday, Sept. 24. For tickets, go to www.PrescottAthena.com. QCBN
By Bonnie Stevens, QCBN
Bonnie Stevens is a public relations consultant. She can be reached at bonnie.stevens@gmail.com.
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