Each week, The Grace E. Harris Leadership Institute features program alumni and highlights their experiences and leadership.

Meet Lynanne Yndestad

What programs & institutes have you particiapted in?
VCU Leadership 2016

Where do you currently work?
I am the Director of New Student and Family Programs at VCU.

What has been your favorite aspect of participating in our leadership programs?
I really enjoyed cross-collaborating with professionals from different departments representing both Monroe Park and MCV to identify and create a solution for a problem. It gave me the opportunity to meet new people and think about things from a different perspective.

Who motivates you to be the best leader you can be?
I am motivated to be the best leader I can be by the people I serve and those I have the honor of serving alongside. The students and families I work with have a lot of change to deal with - navigating the transition to college, being away from each other for the first time, having to create new relationships and figure out their new role in each others' lives. Knowing that our team can be a resource to them as they discover a strategy to manage those changes drives me. Our team is made up of really passionate students and professionals who put a great deal of passion, commitment and care into their work. Seeing their authentic leadership and the transformations they go through over time as we do this work together continues to be a motivating factor for me.

What is an interesting fact about yourself?
I have played the piano since the age of three and teach piano several days a week.