SHAPE Walk founder striding toward retirement

After almost four decades with the Smithsonian, Chandra Heilman will retire Nov. 24, 2017.

Chandra Heilman (center, with leis) and the SHAPE team after the SHAPE walk Nov. 8, 2017

Heilman has served as the Smithsonian Ombudsman since 1983, and prior to that, she worked in the Office of Human Resources. She was a founding member of the Smithsonian Community Committee, formed in 1994, whose purpose was to foster a cooperative spirit among staff leading up to the Smithsonian 150th Anniversary Celebration. She has served as the co-chair of the committee since 2011, which organizes the Unsung Hero Awards, the staff photography and art exhibits and the annual staff picnic.

Heilman started the SHAPE Program (Smithsonian Healthy and Active Program for Employees) in 2005 to encourage healthy living and physical activity across the Smithsonian. She also founded the STAR (Spontaneous Thanks, Appreciation, and Recognition) Award in 2015 that has, to date, resulted in 1,750 expressions of appreciation from one staff member to another.

Heilman will be heading to Hawaii after here retirement, where she plans to learn how to ride a bike, take German lessons, catch up on her reading and walk more in order to stay in SHAPE.

Related posts:

Sidedoor: Cosmic Journey 1 “Stellar Buffoonery” ICYMI: Highlights from the week that was August 11 – August 24 A few of my favorite things: Yolanda Riley ICYMI: Highlights from the week that was Oct. 22 – Oct. 28, 2017