Amplifier Interview
Ali Steer
Senior Director, Enrollment & Support Operations
K12
WellnessAMPED celebrates individuals who take their journey of total well-being seriously and demonstrate a healthy lifestyle both at home and at work. We are on a mission to find and highlight people who absolutely love what they do for a living but also have figured out how to live well by taking even the smallest steps to improve their time on the job and practice healthy living while at work.
Many of us have spent years working through lunch, having too much coffee, or staring at the computer for hours on end. It’s easy to get in the habit of behaviors that don’t create the proper balance or foundation for your health. But, it can be done!
These “AMPLIFIERs” show us how and are changing the face of businesses by being catalysts for health. We salute them and hope to add you to the growing numbers of those who understand that well-being is the key to reaching our personal and professional Goals.
Meet Ali Steer, of K12. As senior director of enrollment & support operations, she is incredibly busy. Aside from an over one hour and a half commute to work every day, she travels much of the time and spends long hours at the office ensuring that families are supported who see K12 as a great option to further their children’s education online.
In addition to her demanding career, Ali is a single mother of two amazing children and is super active. For years Ali has played sports, exercised, and been intentional about what she eats. But, as we all know, working long hours, family needs, and the realities of how our bodies change as we age can sometimes alter our intentions and results. So how does Ali practice total well-being at home and at work? Take a look at her interview:
(WA) WHY IS WELLNESS IMPORTANT TO YOU?
(Ali) I choose life! With two kids, and an aging parent, I have to have energy. My dad was a diabetic and I knew early on that I didn’t want that for my children or myself. I have an active mom who at 75 takes long walks. Taking time to be with my mom will only increase as she gets older; so I want to make sure I am positive and able to do whatever is needed.
(WA) WHEN YOU THINK OF WELLNESS, WHAT IMMEDIATELY COMES TO MIND?
(Ali) I think of all of my wellness appointments. In the past, I used to be annoyed by having so many appointments (mammogram, women’s health, dentist, annual physical) and needing to take off work. Now, I’m excited to schedule them and hear how healthy I actually am at 44. I also ensure my boss knows early that I need to go. I took my daughter to her first women’s appointment and it was a great experience. She now looks forward to them. They are a priority for me now too.
(WA) ARE YOU ABLE TO BRING YOUR WELLNESS LIFESTYLE INTO THE K12 ENVIRONMENT?
(Ali) I love my job. I have become an advocate of health (programs) at work. I spearheaded many health events to get employees focused and moving and they’ve been great! I even teamed up with another company to participate in a 5K race. Our company has done it now for two years. Our CFO paid the entry fees to rally increased company support. It was great! We even won the team event for most company participation! The summer months for our company are pretty stressful. We have lot of long hours and bad eating so my team decided to launch a Biggest Loser contest. It was amazing—we had many staff participate and as an office, lost hundreds of pounds and body fat! I started a company kickball tournament, which is loads of fun. We’ve done that now for three years. All departments participate and we even have a playoff and championship game.
(WA) WHAT LIFESTYLE CHANGES HAVE YOU HAD TO MAKE TO IMPROVE YOUR HEALTH?
(Ali) I used to teach fitness and personal training so as a certified trainer, it’s easy for me to go back to what I was taught and just practice it. My basement has been transformed into a gym where I’m able to lift weights with my daughter. My son and I ride bikes. It’s awesome to spend time with them doing these activities because they want to do them, it’s healthy and we’ve moving together as a family. In addition, I run a lot too.
(WA) DO YOU HAVE ANY FAVORITE FOODS?
(Ali) I really don’t, but I’m always looking for great recipes. I love this great healthy paleo pumpkin coffee. It’s ah-mazing but healthy using vanilla protein shakes and pumpkin spice!
(WA) WHAT ARE YOU MOST PROUD OF SINCE YOU’VE STARTED YOUR HEALTH JOURNEY?
(Ali) It’s a constant journey. I’m not super skinny and have never been so I’m not the person that can eat anything and not expect to gain weight. Since my weight can fluctuate pretty easily, health is top of mind. It’s a part of me now. It took a while but I’m in a good place mentally. My daughter as a teenager is built similar to me and has started being more intentional about her weight. It’s a lifestyle for us. For example, I now pack workout clothes and choose the better foods while on travel. I’m proud of my kids wanting to live this lifestyle and I’m super proud that my co- workers engage in the activities so they can also become healthier.
BRAVO ALI! KEEP UP THE GREAT WORK!
To find out how WellnessAMPED can help you amplify your company’s culture through custom wellness programs, email us at contact@wellnessamped.com