148. Getting Involved with UConn Associate Vice President for Research Development Lindsay DiStefano

148. Getting Involved with UConn Associate Vice President for Research Development Lindsay DiStefano

 

 

Introducing Lindsay DiStefano

Today I’m talking to UConn Associate Vice President for Research Development Dr. Lindsay DiStefano about getting involved.

Her Career Journey

Lindsay earned her BS in Athletic Training from Boston University before earning both her MA and PhD from UNC Chapel Hill in Exercise and Sport Science and Human Movement Science, respectively. She was hired at UConn, where she researches sports-related injury prevention and recently served as the Department Head for the Department of Kinesiology. Currently, Lindsay is a full Professor and Assistant Vice President for Research Development at UConn. Lindsay is a named fellow of the National Athletic Trainers’ Association and the founder of Be A Wonder, a foundation focused on helping families of children with rare diagnoses. 

Getting Involved

Lindsay knows the importance of taking action and tries not to let herself get stuck overthinking a situation. She trusts her abilities and has faith that she’ll be able to create a solution even when she doesn’t know the answer right from the start. This attitude of getting involved echoes in all parts of her life, especially when it comes to her kids. Lindsay is the founder of Be A Wonder, a foundation devoted to supporting families navigating rare diseases, which came from her and her husband’s experiences as parents of kids with a rare immunodeficiency.

Inside this episode:

  • Lindsay didn’t start out thinking of a career in athletic training or in research, but stayed open to opportunities and met some influential mentors who steered her in a direction that ended up being perfect for her.
  • It was overwhelming her first year as an assistant professor, but Lindsay credits her children with helping to give her actions some priority in that time.
  • Lindsay describes the difference between the pressure to know all the answers versus the ability to think critically to find a solution when a problem arises. 
  • Her and her husband’s experiences as parents of children with a rare disease led to the founding of the Be A Wonder foundation. She’s helping families navigate the path to finding answers and changing the script for healthcare providers, to make sure that everyone has the right information to help these kids live healthier, happier lives.
  • She stresses that often we are our own worst enemies, overthinking and reading too much into situations. Lindsay does her best to give people the benefit of the doubt and assume their intentions are good.

Resources

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