The WISE Conference 2023 Guest Speakers
EMCEE
MISSY HERNDON
A graduate of Texas A&M University, Missy Herndon is a former PR consultant turned stay-at-home mom and social editor/writer for a local magazine while raising her young boys.
Her journey changed paths when her oldest son, Will, then 6 years old, was diagnosed with juvenile Batten disease and given a fatal prognosis. In 2009, Missy and her husband, Wayne, co-founded HOPE: The Will Herndon Research Fund. The mission is simple: The fund has raised nearly $9 million to date in The Woodlands community and continues raising awareness and funds to find a treatment to save Will. The community effort has led the research to the FDA, where the treatment received clinical trial approval in the Fall of 2021! After 13 long years of research and drug development, the trial began in February of this year, and Will is Patient #1!
In 2012, Missy went back to the workforce, landing a dream job at Interfaith of The Woodlands as the Director of Programs and Services. In 2016, Missy was promoted and now serves as President and CEO of Interfaith of The Woodlands and Interfaith Community Clinic. As CEO of Interfaith, Missy oversees nearly 400 employees and manages the $28+ million non-profit organization that focuses on providing basic needs to our neighbors in crisis, senior programs, employment services, community publications, early childhood education and resources for those facing challenges. The Interfaith Community Clinic is the only charity clinic serving the medical, dental and behavioral health needs of our uninsured neighbors residing in all of Montgomery County.
In her spare time, Missy loves spending time with her family and friends, serving her community and working on HOPE. The center of her world is her husband of 23 years, Wayne, and their three boys, Will, Steele and Magnus. Missy enjoys writing, the gym and cheering on her boys at the Football, Rugby or Challenger Baseball fields. The Herndons are members of The Woodlands United Methodist Church. Missy hopes to inspire others to make positive change in their communities and believe in the power of possibility no matter the circumstance.
KEYNOTE SPEAKER
NHI ARONHEIM
Author: Soles of a Survivor
Inspirational Talk
Nhi Aronheim stands at only four feet, nine inches tall, but her story is immense.
Several anthologies including Kentucky Women: Two Centuries of Indomitable Spirit and Vision, Colorado Public Radio (CPR), Colorado Country Life Magazine, and Harvey Brownstone Interviews (Canadian Show) have profiled her harrowing journey as a child refugee who escaped war-torn Vietnam in search of the American Dream.
Nhi’s diverse background is captivating. As a refugee, she was adopted by a Christian family in the South. She later met and married a Jewish man and converted to Judaism in 2004. Nhi has two beautiful children who she has raised to embrace Vietnamese and Jewish cultures. After transitioning to sales and marketing in the mortgage industry—where Nhi worked for over sixteen years—she retired as a marketing specialist at the age of forty-one to begin her next life adventure. Since then, she has been a mediator and interpreter. She also volunteers her time as a mediator for courts and the Better Business Bureau.
Nhi’s book is available wherever books are sold, but if you would like a signed copy for yourself or for gift, you may buy it from Nhi after this event.