Laurie Brady,
Mail & Receiving Services (MaRs)
This month’s spotlight shines on Laurie Brady, a Wellness Champion since October 2020. New to our network but not new to the work, Laurie has long been a champion of wellness in her personal and professional life. Laurie was nominated for the Champion Spotlight by fellow Champion Cheryl Lyons after they connected at the January workshop. Cheryl was inspired by Laurie’s commitment to her own wellness journey while balancing a busy job and family life.
Tell us a little bit about yourself.
I am a full-time single mom of an active 8-year-old girl. We live about 60 miles from Wash U, so my workday includes a commute of about 2 hours. I coach up to 5 soccer teams a year and actively work with Union City Parks in their effort to bring Lacrosse to Union for the youth in the area. I grew up playing soccer, am a big believer in Youth Sports, and want to help and support them in any way possible. Averie and I spend a lot of time outside, and we love hiking and swimming.
I recently felt run down so I went to the doctor. I am 48, so I felt a bit like an old run-down car. We topped off my fluids and vitamins and we are making adjustments to get me back on track and running smoothly. I’m also doing the MyWay to a Healthy Weight program with Natalie and I love it.
Tell us about some things you’ve done as a Wellness Champion to help create a culture of wellness in your department.
I have only officially started as our Wellness Champion in the last couple of months. Before that, I spread the word in an unofficial capacity. I participate in as many programs as I can, and I am always happy to talk about my experiences. I recently started sending out a monthly email to the whole staff, and I speak with individuals as things come up which I think they might be interested in. My future plan is to communicate on a more regular basis with our Team Leads as well as our MaRs Staff Committee, which has representatives from each one of our teams. Becoming a resource for information is my biggest goal early on.
What motivates you to volunteer as a Wellness Champion?
I love working at Washington University – they truly care about the health and wellbeing of their employees. Wellness Connection offers many incredible opportunities, and I participate in as many as I can. I tell anyone who will listen about what I’m doing, whether that is a wellness challenge, a consultation with one of the MyWay to Health registered dietitians, or the Know Your Numbers screening opportunity. I am currently participating in the new MyWay to a Healthy Weight program. I love spreading the word and think it is so important to encourage others and let them know what is available to them.
Are there any unique aspects of your department that affect your role as Wellness Champion?
We have 30+ employees in our department who are spread out across both the Danforth and WUSM campuses in a total of seven different work locations. Needless to say, communicating with all of my colleagues can be a challenge. Email helps, but I rely a lot upon our team leads to help spread the word to their groups.
How has the pandemic affected your role as a Champion?
Mail and Receiving Services has been up and running and on campus every day. We have worked through the pandemic. I have tried to make sure that everyone knows about the Wellness Connection and University offerings, especially the recorded classes and the mental health options.
Laurie, thank you for being a wellness leader in your department and for all of the great work you’re doing as part of the Champion network!
If you’d like to learn more about the Wellness Connection Champion network, check out our website: hr.wustl.edu/wellness-connection/champions/.
