From the first brave moment to the lifelong mission—this is the work that changes everything.
The Work Worth Doing is a storytelling series that celebrates women who lead with heart, vision, and extraordinary purpose. These are women who didn’t wait for permission. Sometimes, they chased the spark. Other times, the spark found them—through a quiet nudge, a moment of truth, or a door they never expected to walk through.
Some are leading organizations. Others are mentoring quietly, launching creative ventures, or nurturing change within families, campuses, cultures, or communities. Whether they’re seasoned executives or emerging voices, what unites them is the courage to step forward and do the work—the work that matters.
Their stories are filled with grit, growth, and the unseen labor of transformation. They are founders, educators, performers, builders, and bridge-makers. Each one reminds us that influence doesn’t always start loud—but it always starts with a spark.
This series is about more than what these women do. It’s about why they do it—and who they become along the way.
A woman waits in the open ocean between islands, arm lifted for balance as she holds position for the next crew change. No shoreline. No applause. Only breath, patience, and instinct.
The Molokai Channel didn’t create her courage.
It revealed what had always been ther…
For Keri, leadership isn’t about hierarchy—it’s about transformation. As a teacher, she watched understanding dawn on students’ faces. As a provost, she sees it in faculty who feel supported and empowered. The thread is always the same: create space where others…
There was a plaque on her desk—DeVry’s most prestigious honor, the PRIDE Award—engraved with her name as the company’s top recruiter.
For Ronda Riden-Wilson, it was more than a trophy. It validated her ability to see people clearly, match them with opportunity, …
Her most important advice?
“Know what your gifts are—and just as important, know what they’re not. And be okay with that.”
In a world full of pressure to do it all, Sherri models something different: authenticity, purpose, and self-awareness.
“Bring your own…
She grew up in a family of music, lived a life of harmony, and passed on a spark that still sings in the voices of others. For Susan Mueller, music was never just notes on a page—it was a way to see the spark in others, and to give them courage to sing it out.
When asked what it means to be a storyteller, she doesn’t hesitate. “It’s about connection,” she said. “I want people to feel seen, understood, and not alone. If I can bring someone joy or comfort—even for a moment—that’s enough.”
“We served ten people that first day,” she recalls. By year’s end, they had served more than 32,000 meals. In 2024 alone, nearly 65,000 meals were served. Over 25 years, that number exceeds two million.