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A Journey of Transformation

06.02.23 Impact Stories

Working professional.

Wife, mother, daughter.

Servant leader.

Kristin Steede is all of these things…and more.

As the AVP of Learning and Development at Verve, a Credit Union, she is dedicated to helping others find their potential.

An enthusiastic servant leader, she is on a mission to open doors by opening minds.

 

Kristin promotes resilience, possibility, and a shared vision of helping others live the authentic life of their choosing.

Using her value of alignment, she models confident vulnerability by sharing stories of her lived and learned experiences that demonstrate growth, humility, and self-awareness.

Facing Adversity:

The catalyst for Kristin’s storytelling began in 2009 when she embarked on a journey of physical transformation by appearing on Season 7 of NBC’s The Biggest Loser.

Week after week, Kristin competed in a series of physical challenges, along with her mother, in the weight-loss-based reality TV show.

“It was a whirlwind of an experience.”

By week 12, Kristin became the first female to have ever lost 100 lbs while on The Biggest Loser Ranch.

After the show, she shared her story on some of the biggest and brightest stages including an appearance on NBC’s Today Show and on the cover of Life & Style Magazine.

The Journey Continues:

Once the lights were off and the cameras stopped rolling, Kristin’s physical & mental transformation started coming undone.

She remarked: “That’s the thing about the experiences that shape us, they become an unconscious way of being forged in the fires of adversity that have and know no boundaries.”

“We’ve all had experiences in our lives that have shaped us. Some good, some bad. Some extraordinary, some ordinary.”

By overcoming adversity and learning to manage her own well-being, Kristin found a great deal of joy and fulfillment in starting her family and in her work of corporate cultural development.

Cue Servant Leadership:

It was an introduction to the philosophy of servant leadership that would set her off on a different life-changing transformational journey.

“Through the practice of servant leadership, I learned not to minimize the impact of how my experiences have shaped my way of being.”

Through the many ups and downs of her life, she remains thankful for the ripple that started 20 years ago. Her testament is a demonstration of the power and practice of servant leadership.

“My stories are unique to me. YOU have your own stories and experiences that have shaped your way of being. We are all connected in that way, and it is up to us to create a community and a world that honors and appreciates the dignities of all humans.”

 

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Kristin was the featured speaker for Sophia’s Caring Community Breakfast in October of 2022. To learn more about this event, click here!

Written by Samantha King in Impact Stories
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Honoring the Life and Legacy of Don M. Frick

A Defining Voice and Historian of Servant Leadership

The servant leadership community lost one of its most important and beloved voices on March 23, 2026. 

Don M. Frick was a creative teacher, an engaging storyteller, a dynamic speaker, and a gifted author. More than that, he was one of the world’s leading authorities on the life and work of Robert K. Greenleaf, the pioneer of servant leadership.

Read Obituary.

Through his scholarship, teaching, and writing, Don helped ensure that Greenleaf’s ideas were not only preserved but deeply understood, carefully protected, and faithfully carried forward.

…

Read more

Board Bios: Meet Jenna Wood

Jenna Wood values creating meaningful connections and building relationships in every area of her life. 

As a Financial Advisor with Edward Jones, she combines her love of learning with her passion for encouraging others, guiding clients through their financial journeys at every stage of life.

Jenna attended her first Sophia Partners program in 2025, where she immediately connected with the organization’s shared value of leading others through a heart of service.

That experience deepened her commitment to servant leadership and inspired her desire to help cultivate strong leaders in Fond du Lac County.

…

Read more

From Goals to Growth: Navigating Change

With January wrapped up, did you have a chance to create your annual goals? 

If so, what method did you use?

(Still looking to start? Read our previous blog!)

One of the powerful things about creating goals and setting intentions is that you are in control of the changes you want to make. Goals give us direction, clarity, and a sense of purpose.

Change almost always happens, even when we have the best intentions of sticking to a plan.

…

Read more

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