Linda Brandt

 Linda Brandt calls herself a renegade community builder who upgrades communities. For her day job, she has worked for Hennepin County Public Health for 15 years as a Senior Health Promotion Specialist. Specifically, Linda works with human resource professionals to promote healthy workplace cultures. In practical terms these efforts support workplaces to offer employees walking and healthy eating programs; onsite gardening, standing desks, and, most importantly, a culture where healthy choices are the default.

Linda’s path to public health started when one her mentors encouraged her to make a list of all things that terrify her. One of those things was doing push ups in front of people. Thus, she trained to teach a group fitness class called BodyPump^Ⓡ. In that role she found her passion for health promotion and decided to go back to school for a graduate degree in public health.  

Linda recognizes a couple of drawbacks of working in public health. First, public health is primarily a government function and government jobs can attract people who are looking for a “safe job” rather than a challenge and growth. Second, public health is underfunded. Third, public health is female-dominated and lacks racial and other diversity. This homogeneity can stifle innovation.

Despite these challenges, Linda is grateful for the community she has built among health promoters, broadly defined. She is also proud of the work she has done creating tools for career well-being. For more insights into Linda’s work in public health, see this article she wrote and often shares with those considering public health as a career.

When asked what makes her successful, Linda described her passion for helping people pursue their ambitions and thrive - even when other people’s agendas do not line up with her own. That help often looks like connecting them to others and sharing useful books and frameworks.

Linda’s best advice to young professionals is not to wait until they are older to be confident and know their value. She encourages everyone to boldly reach out to people they admire on LinkedIn and treat them like peers. Because so few people take this type of initiative, people are often receptive and peer mentoring relationships can develop. 

Linda believes that finding your calling is more important than any hobby, job or even career. To live this value, she spends her free time for the last nine years organizing the Lean In Together Minneapolis-St. Paul Network. This Network supports members to actualize their ambitions. 

Linda invites you to connect with her on LinkedIn or Facebook if what she’s shared resonates with you.