Your Authentic Executive

Facilitated by Janyne Peek Emsick, Integrow

Interviewee - Joni Wheeler, CoreLink Administrative Solutions

Executive authenticity fuels organizational trust, an essential component to making change stick.  And when there is a disconnect, a lack of executive authenticity fuels organizational cynicism – stifling the traction any change initiative is dependent upon.  In this ODN event, Dr. Janyne Peek Emsick will facilitate a “Your Authentic Executive” interview with Joni Wheeler, CEO of Corelink and Chief Talent and Strategy Officer of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Nebraska.  Following the interview, we will investigate the relationship between executive authenticity, behavioral integrity and organizational trust vs. organizational integrity. 

In additional to experiencing the modeling of executive authenticity, members will gain a framework for increasing the presence for executive authenticity in their organizations. 

Janyne Peek Emsick, Ph.D., founder of intégrow and managing principal of Emsick Architects, is a teacher, a student, and a leader. Her early work in human resources transformed into a consultancy based on leaders walking their talk. And she has walked the talk herself, having studied, taught, and built leadership initiatives on five continents. Janyne is an expert in leadership development, organizational change and adult learning. As a sought‐after, energetic and insightful speaker, Janyne brings her more than 25 years of global experience in designing and leading custom programs to every audience. She advocates for leaders around the world to walk their talk, one leader at a time by serving as catalysts for positive change in the individuals and the organizations they lead. The message is critical to driving successful transformation in teams and organizations, and Janyne delivers it with passion, backed by original scholarship. Her doctorate research focused on adult learning and transformational leadership, animating the question “now that they know, what do they do?”

Janyne has delivered her message on five continents, including professional development initiatives and graduate programs in Germany, the Philippines, Burma, Kenya and the Democratic Republic of Congo. From the executive team through the IS and HR teams and to the plant staff, her holistic approach taps into individual and organizational potential for increased integrity, aligning intent with action to build trust.

In May 2012, Janyne and her husband, Mike, launched the commercial architecture firm Emsick Architects which has been featured in in regional publications for its smart growth and engaging culture. As Managing Principal, Janyne has the opportunity to walk her own talk as she practices the principles she has taught for over two decades.

Clients include ADP, Ameritech (now AT&T), Alpha Canada, Alpha USA, Aftermarket Technology Corp., Avenue Scholars Foundation, Business Ethics Alliance, CLAAS, Dermatology Specialists of Omaha, Discover Financial Services, Early Out Services, Franciscan Sisters of Chicago Service Corporation, General Service Bureau, LandDesign, Leo A. Daly, Mitsubishi Electric, Mutual of Omaha, Lueder Construction Company, One World Community Health Centers, ORBIS Corporation, Panera Bread, PepsiCo (Pepsi, Quaker, Tropicana, Frito‐Lay), Union Pacific, United States Marine Corps–Europe, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, University of Nebraska Medical Center, and US Cellular.

Janyne serves as adjunct faculty for Tyndale Seminary’s Doctor of Ministry program and for Creighton University’s MBA program, teaching on ethical leadership and change leadership. She also is a founding board member of “Congo Initiative,” a not‐for‐profit collaboration between leaders in the newly‐formed Democratic Republic of Congo and the United States where Janyne focused on launching a bilingual university, the Université Chritienne Bilingue du Congo, in the war‐torn DR Congo. Janyne provides strategic leadership as an Omaha Business Ethics Alliance Trustee, as founder of Professional Women Connect, and as a partner organization with the Willow Creek Association’s Global Leadership Summit, attended by nearly a half-million leaders around the world each year.

Interviewee - Joni Wheeler is the President and CEO of CoreLink Administrative Solutions, and the Chief Talent & Strategy Officer at Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Nebraska (BCBSNE).

Serving in dual roles, Ms. Wheeler is afforded the opportunity to fuel her professional passions of people leadership and transformation. Joni follows a servant leadership mantra and believes high-performing, highly motivated organizations evolve when leaders foster a culture where integrity, authenticity, empowerment, teamwork, collaboration, and fun are modeled as a standard mode of operation.

Previous to CoreLink and BCBSNE, Joni held a number of leadership positions at First Data Corporation, as well as system design and management roles for West Corporation.

In addition to a strong desire to help organizations and their people in a professional capacity, Joni also has a commitment to improving her community. Serving on the Board of Directors for Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Midland and the Child Saving Institute, she empowers these organizations and the work they do through strategic visioning and fundraising. She is also a strong advocate for mental illness programs for children.

Joni’s personal pastime favorites include spending time with family at the beach and sporting events. She is a mother of two children, Destiny and Isaiah.

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