CAMBRIDGE, MA, May 09, 2019 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Marquis Who's Who, the world's premier publisher of biographical profiles, is proud to present Barbara Jean Addison Reid, EdD, with the Albert Nelson Marquis Lifetime Achievement Award. An accomplished listee, Dr. Addison Reid celebrates many years' experience in her professional network, and has been noted for achievements, leadership qualities, and the credentials and successes she has accrued in her field. As in all Marquis Who's Who biographical volumes, individuals profiled are selected on the basis of current reference value. Factors such as position, noteworthy accomplishments, visibility, and prominence in a field are all taken into account during the selection process.
Developing a true appreciation of people and education at a very young age thanks to one of her teachers, Dr. Addison Reid's guidance later resulted her combining human resources with education. Becoming involved with managers in corporations, while also teaching these subjects to students, she enjoyed a very successful career that spanned nearly 50 years. Spending the last eight years of her career as the director of equal opportunity and inclusion and as a Title 1X coordinator at Lesley University in Cambridge, Mass., she was responsible for diversity work across the campus until her retirement in 2016. Dr. Addison Reid also managed the hiring process of faculty and staff, which included diversity candidates in every hire, as well as the investigations of complaints regarding diversity and sexual harassment.
Dr. Addison Reid previously excelled for 11 years at Bentley College as the executive director of human resources beginning in 1998 and 14 years as an assistant professor of management and human resources consulting beginning in 1994. She also served as the director of human resources at Automatic Data Process in Waltham, Mass., the director of personnel at Tufts University in Medford, Mass. and the assistant manager of staffing at Harvard University in Cambridge. While working in the field, Dr. Addison Reid worked as a senior lecturer in business administration at Northeastern University in Boston from 1980 to 1994 and a consultant for various businesses throughout Massachusetts and Rhode Island.
The author of new book, "Everyday Artist: Creating the Life You Want to Live," in 2018, Dr. Addison Reid compares one's life to art, with the reader as the artist and the world as their canvas. In the book, she explores the many ways in which people can create their desired lives, whether it be through mind, body and spirit, financial stability, community and joy. Previously affiliated as a member of the board of directors, the vice president and the president of the Northeast Human Resources Association, Dr. Addison Reid is also a member and a former leadership committee chair of the Women of the Harvard Club.
In 2017, Dr. Addison Reid was honored for her strong leadership influence with a Lifetime Achievement Award as One of Boston's Most Influential Women by Governor Charles D. Baker and Lieutenant Governor Karyn E. Polito. She has been featured in several editions of Who's Who in Finance and Industry, Who's Who in the East and Who's Who of American Women. A former member of the Harvard Club of Boston, Dr. Addison Reid remains active with Kappa Delta Pi Honorary Society and Sigma Epsilon Rho Honor Society.
A Martin Luther King Jr. scholar between 1973 and 1974, Dr. Addison Reid earned a Bachelor's degree at Northeastern University in 1974. She continued her studies with a Master of Education in 1985, also at the Northeastern University. Dr. Addison Reid concluded her academic efforts at the University of Massachusetts in 1992, graduating with a Doctor of Education.
Since April 2016, Dr. Addison Reid's has focused on a new and different focus in her life. While working, Barbara attended meetings at Lesley University and in April, she was asked a question. She answered the question and a colleague asked her again, "What did you say?" Barbara said she answered the question and the meeting continued.
Dr. Addison Reid thought about her experience and a week later she decided not to return to work because she was not being appreciated and she did not tell anyone why she was not at the University.
Two weeks later, Dr. Addison Reid received a FedEx letter from the President of Lesley University. The letter explained that Dr. Addison Reid had not been at work for the past two weeks and she had four days to speak with a professional about why she was not at work or the University would accept her voluntary resignation. In four days, Barbara wrote a return letter to the president that said she did not have a professional with whom she could speak, however she was meeting with her physician the following Tuesday and perhaps the physician could help Barbara evaluate her situation.
The physician said Barbara's check-up was positive however another appointment was scheduled for testing on the following Saturday.
Dr. Addison Reid engaged in the testing and afterwards she met with another physician who asked Barbara to stay in the hospital. After two hours of conversation with the physician, Barbara was hospitalized for Saturday and Sunday.
Monday morning, additional testing was completed. That afternoon a gentleman stopped by Dr. Addison Reid's room and in conversation he said, "We are going to explore this situation. Would you please sign this document?" Barbara signed the paper however her name that began on a line in the middle of the page was completed on the upper right corner, off the page! The "exploration" began the next day.
Dr. Addison Reid woke up Thursday and was resting in her hospital room. She seemed okay and she touched her hair on the left side of her face. The hair seemed short at the forehead and down in front of the left ear. Later that day, three physicians stopped by to see how Barbara was recuperating and they continued to visit her as long as she was in the hospital.
Barbara knew she was returning to health but she didn't know why she was there and felt uncomfortable. There was little opportunity for conversation however she did think about her health and she dreamed about her Great Grandma Addison who was Native American and how she succeeded in her life. Barbara's thoughts were that she needed to go to bed early evening, rest, and get up early the next morning to accomplish her health goals. After being hospitalized for many days, Barbara asked to be released to return to her home. That goal was accomplished on June 10, 2016 when Barbara had spent 27 days in the hospital!
A week after being released from the hospital, Dr. Addison Reid met with her physician and she was given permission to:
(1) Continue to live at home and care for herself and the house; and
(2) Meet with a Counselor twice a week and relearn how to interpret words and apply the words to reading over the next nine weeks.
She was not allowed to:
(1) Drive her automobile and interpret where she was going;
(2) Attend the gym for physical workouts for the next twelve weeks; and
(3) Not continue dental work for the next four months.
Barbara followed through and accepted her guidance from her physician.
On July 11, 2016, Dr. Addison Reid had an appointment at the hospital and met a gentleman who said, "Do you remember me?" Barbara responded and said she did not know the person. He said, "I am the Surgeon who lead the team to remove a tumor from your brain." Barbara was shocked! The Surgeon showed her an MRI picture which displayed a white tumor that was ¼ the size of her head and appeared on the left side of her skull; the tumor was massive, it had been growing for 10 or more years and she never had a headache; and the Surgeon said he had to continue to track whether the tumor would grow again or she would recover. The next MRI was taken in September 2016 and there was no more tumor.
Over the next 18 months, Dr. Addison Reid has accomplished goals:
• Exercise by walking ¼ mile, two or three times each week;
• Work with another Counselor, twice a week for 12 weeks, to use the computer to solve puzzles and read stories about African American women who survived changes in their lives;
• Start driving her car again for medical appointments;
• Join another health club recommended by her physician for professionals who are geared to help Barbara succeed with healthy exercise;
• Resign from her position at Lesley University and attend a retirement party to explain with pictures of her brain about why Barbara did not continue working at the institution;
• Focus on Barbara's art work – using coloring books and colored pencils to help her evaluate her attention, color balance, and complete the art results;
• Around April 15, 2017, Barbara decided to write a book over the next several months;
• In June 2017, Barbara met with the Surgeon for another MRI and he said she now had another six month to recover the functioning of her brain;
• Barbara decided that writing a book would really push her brain toward higher thinking abilities;
• On October 31, 2017, Dr. Addison Reid drafted the foundation for her book, "Everyday Artist: Create the Life You Want to Live", which was published June 16, 2018; and
• Met with the Surgeon June 2018, who said he has never had a patient who has written a book about their brain surgery and her experiences in her life about dreams, goals, decisions, action steps, and results!
Today, Dr. Addison Reid believes the past three years have taught her lessons that she wants to share with other people.
First, Barbara understands that she is in charge of herself – her life demonstrates that she was responsible for her education, teaching undergraduate and graduate students, professional experience in human resources in higher education, business consulting, mentoring adults, public speaking, and leading family, friends, and colleagues for their success.
Second, Barbara's illness with her brain has moved her to realize and understand that she must continue to focus on her intellectual development by reading books every day, prepare notes for reflection, approach issues from various perspectives, decide what is important, and lead people to consider their full potential.
Third, Barbara exercises on a daily basis to stimulate her body to last longer in her lifetime. She awakens at 4:45 a.m., brushes her teeth, dresses, and goes to the gym at 5:30 a.m. Once arrived, Barbara exercises for two hours a day Monday through Saturday. Yes, that is 12 to 14 hours each week and sometimes she walks in the afternoon to exercise 15,000 steps per day!
Dr. Addison Reid stands before you, and says the following:
"You are the center for who you really are;
You are in charge of you;
You decide what is important to you;
You decide what you must do to stimulate your brain;
You decide what you must do to exercise your body; and
You decide to pursue goals, make decisions, create action
steps, and evaluate your results! Be blessed!"
In recognition of outstanding contributions to her profession and the Marquis Who's Who community, Barbara Jean Addison Reid, EdD, has been featured on the Albert Nelson Marquis Lifetime Achievement website. Please visit www.ltachievers.com for more information about this honor.
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