I have written about this amazing lady before. I touched on her cancer journey and path to healing in Charlene says I Do, and featured her fashion flair in When your boss is a badass. Now, I get to share a glimpse into the next phase of her fabulous journey on this earth.
Where to begin, where to begin...
Well first, she is my ex-boss. Charlene went out on her own and is now CEO of Charlene Wheeless Consulting, a strategic communications firm helping companies and brands with their communications challenges.
For most of us that would be enough.
She also just completed a book which will be released later this year about her journey through the corporate world as a black female executive.
She is the chair of the Arthur W Page society, a leading professional association for senior public relations and corporate communications executives and educators.
And she is a TV commentator and speaker on leadership, gender, race, and diversity with an aim to help others learn to retain authenticity in life and in business. Here are a couple of recent segments:
Completely invisible: One woman executive shares her experiences as a black CEO
The grown-ups table — the difference between knowing your value and owning your value
Last weekend we did a photo session to support her book. It was a blast. Below are a few of my favorite shots. The first one — her in the red dress — she shared on her social media account with the following caption:
When I woke up this morning, the only thing on my mind was freedom. In this, I speak of my personal freedom from the last 3 1/2 years of treatment and complexity. Now, I live my life with unapologetic authenticity. I. Am. Enough.
Rock on lady. You are one of a kind.
Bonus shots of Charlene’s lovely daughter, who appears to be as dynamic and beautiful as her mom. I am partial to the B&W shots, they highlight her strength of personality.
