Women in Sports: “Faith, Family and Food” Keep Tommi Vincent Grounded. They Also Help Her Uplift Many Others.
Some people work hard to give back to their communities. Others find it comes naturally. Tommi Vincent falls into the latter category. Growing up, she was surrounded by strong women who showed her that kindness shouldn’t take effort. It should be inherent – core to who you are. They left a firm fingerprint on her as she started to make her way in the world, which is why she now stands firmly on her own as a resilient, creative, independent, and uplifting woman who seems to effortlessly live a life of service.
As the wife of NFL Legend and Executive Vice President of NFL operations, Troy Vincent, Tommi can do anything she wants, including nothing. But she wakes up every day eager to serve others – spiritually, philanthropically and quite literally (she’s a chef). That attitude, along with some great advice from both successful and struggling women, have steered her to the right places at the right times. It has also anchored her firmly in her life’s purpose, as someone who helps people heal through “soul food therapy,” fellowship and honest sharing of gifts, emotions and experiences in safe spaces.
But what I find most interesting about Tommi is that her seemingly selfless life of service is fueled by her need to put “me first” – and because of that, everyone benefits immensely. Listen to our intimate 25-minute conversation now to hear about…
How philanthropy became her lifestyle versus just part of life.
Why she has chosen “Faith, Family and Food” as the three grounding elements in her personal life and business ventures.
How “soul food therapy” helped her through depression, and how she now uses food to gift others daily with nourishing love.
How her Nana Edie inspired her personal brand, “Tommi V.: Feels Like Comfort, Tastes Like Home®.”
Why recipes should be valued as heirlooms.
The origins of the Vincent Country Women’s Retreat and what makes this experience so life-changing for women from all walks of life.
How helping others can be personally healing – and why you must first heal yourself to truly help others.
How she’s leveraged her resources as a professional football player’s wife to do intentional work that helps people progress toward their life goals “one bite at a time.”
Why she tries to sow a seed of hope with every philanthropic initiative – and why that has driven her to formulate separate, focused initiatives that have a massive and immediate impact on people.
How her son’s experience in school inspired the Safe Zone Activity Day that’s hosted each year during the NFL Super Bowl week.
Why she and her husband, Troy Vincent, decided to keep a degree of separation from their professional and personal lives and nestle into their family/community in a wholesome way throughout his NFL career.
Why she advises women to lean into what their heart tells them and prioritize their needs if they really want to be of service to others and do the most good.
LISTEN TO THIS MIND-OPENING AND HEARTWARMING CONVERSATION NOW
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Therese Van Ryne
Therese Van Ryne is Senior Director of External Communications for Zebra Technologies. She joined Zebra as part of the acquisition of Motorola Solutions Enterprise business in October 2014. She and her team are laser focused on growing the company’s brand awareness globally aligned with business objectives. Her accomplishments include leading Zebra events with Harvard University and TED as well as the creation of the annual Intelligent Enterprise Index, resulting in positive media coverage, customer engagement and revenue growth.
Prior to Motorola Solutions, Van Ryne worked at SC Johnson where she led corporate communication strategies and drove PR and branding efforts for leading consumer products. One of her top achievements was leading the Windex® placement in the film, “My Big Fat Greek Wedding,” resulting in a 25% sales increase for the brand.
One of PR News’ 2019 Top Women in PR and Crain's Chicago's 2021 Most Notable Executives in Marketing, Therese also has experience as a journalist, editor and producer, reporting nightly from Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. Van Ryne holds a bachelor’s degree in Communications and Journalism from Marquette University and an Executive Leadership Master’s Certificate from Cornell University.
