We are pleased to announce Kendra Meyer has joined the Board of Directors for Many Hands.
Kendra is so thrilled to be invited to join the Many Hands board. Kendra holds 15+ years of healthcare professional experience, with a demonstrated history working in the medical device industry. She holds a Master of Science degree in Healthcare Operations Management from Nebraska Methodist College, a Bachelor of Science degree in Radiation Sciences from University of Iowa, and completed the American Registry of Radiologic Technology Board Certifications in X-ray and Radiologic Quality Management at University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics.
She has worked for Medtronic, the world’s leading medical device company, for over 13 years, working in the specialties of neurosurgery, Orthopedic spine and pelvic surgery, Ear Nose and Throat, urology, and colorectal surgery. As a patient herself at the age of 19, Kendra felt called indefinitely to devote her life’s career to healthcare, after receiving exceptional care at Mayo Clinic. She wanted to give her impossible result back to others, and has developed her entire professional portfolio around care teams, and helps gives back positive patient outcomes to the lives she touches. Currently, she passionately serves alongside physicians and clinics around every major healthcare system in the state of Iowa, and works with patients on a daily basis.
She also serves on the steering committee for Medtronic ASPIRE, an employee resource group, and served as last year’s Chair of Community Outreach. While still serving on the committee, she holds the title of Community Impact Champion, bringing resources to employees who have access to employee grant funding and match dollars to provide support to local non-profits. Kendra co-leads corporate volunteer group trips that have included hurricane disaster relief in Puerto Rico, volunteering in a Women and Children’s shelter in Miami, teaching English conversational skills in Poland, and most recently packing medical supplies for Project CURE in Phoenix. She plans to co-lead her next corporate volunteer team in Crete, Greece in September 2022. Locally, this year she has lead her Medtronic team to fundraise and pack school supplies for 50 full backpacks for lower-income elementary students in Ankeny, organized and secured funding to serve dinner for 250 homeless community members at Central Iowa Shelter & Services, and has lead a team to provide a home-cooked meal donation to Catholic Charities, as well as Ronald McDonald House. She also loves doing Meals on Wheels routes in the Des Moines metro on her days off.
I felt called to bring my connection of healthcare resources to the table in the ways I am able. I will always remember Tim saying that as blessed people, we are called to be a blessing to others. Healthcare is one area that I can give back.
In her personal time, she has been on outreach trips to Ghana with Lutheran Church of Hope, and of course to Haiti (with Tim) in 2018! Of all the places she has gone, Kendra has a special attachment to Haiti.
“What struck my heart most while visiting was the severe lack and gap in healthcare. While visiting in 2018, on a hospital visit with Christi (Anaika’s story), the orthopedic surgeon told me, in a quiet conversation, that the child should not be in the situation. Her condition was highly treatable,” shared Kendra.
When Kendra realized the young patient was being held for reasons other than her well-being, it went against everything she was trained to do. “In medicine, we are trained to “DO NO HARM”, which was starkly opposite of this child’s situation. It was something that never left my heart – and I felt called to bring my connection of healthcare resources to the table in the ways I am able. I will always remember Tim saying that as blessed people, we are called to be a blessing to others. Healthcare is one area that I can give back.”
Kendra currently resides in West Des Moines, IA with her dog and cat, but you’ll hardly ever see her there! When she’s not out exploring the world and taking pictures, she enjoys being an active member at Lutheran Church of Hope, spending time with her parents in Ames, brother/sister in law/ niece and nephew in Adel, or riding the local trails on her road bike. She loves staying active with running, Pilates, hiking, and kayaking. Most of all, she enjoys meeting new people and forming new friendships, experiencing culture, and being a light to the world around her.
We are excited to have Kendra join the Board of Directors and see her use her God-given talents and blessings to Many Hands.
About Many Hands:
Many Hands is an Iowa-based nonprofit creating local and global life-transformation. Established in 2008, the organization aims to ignite generosity, grow community, and take people on IMPACT journeys to carve a new, better path to live. Each year, the organization reaches at least 25,000 people through their Haitian operations, IMPACT Journeys, and Many Hands Thrift Markets located in Clive, Grimes, Merle Hay, and Spencer, Iowa.
Many Hands is called to transform together, to be love in action, in a broken world.