Episode 12 - Unapologetically Beyond the Box with Dr. Lori Rice-Spearman
By Jessica Garrison
The latest episode of the F.E.E.L podcast features a very special and accomplished guest. Not only is Dr. Lori Rice-Spearman the president of Texas Tech University’s Health and Science Center, but she is the first female president in the Texas Tech University system. On the podcast, she shares her true feelings with host Melissa Crook about the pressure she experiences both personally and professionally, and how she tries to manage it all.
When talking about boundaries, Lori relays that setting boundaries professionally is much easier than setting them personally. I love the conversation she and Melissa have about “adjusting to different seasons” when it comes to setting and respecting boundaries. What someone needs now may not be what they need later, and it’s okay to fluctuate your boundaries. They don’t need to be permanently built and are allowed to change based on your needs at the moment. Lori describes the communication she has with her husband where they both understand the need for seasonal changes in their boundaries. For example, the support she needed during the academic year after COVID-19 was not the same as it was in years past.
I have to say that my favorite conversation during this episode was when she spoke about being the first woman to become a president at the university. There’s an immense amount of pressure on her to do everything right, to prove that women belong in places of power. But she’s human, and no one should hold all of that pressure on themselves. Lori describes that although being the only woman at the table is difficult, she “decided to let that go and just be a leader.” It’s important to set an example and be a role model for others, but her being a woman shouldn’t define the whole experience. She is making a difference just by being there, and she’s proud to bring something new to the table. Lori is her authentic self, whether it be at work, at home, or out on the weekends with her family. What you see is what you get, and she’s very proud of that. She accepts these different layers of herself and is open and honest about them, which is arguably one of her most admirable traits.
Despite focusing on herself and the job at hand, Lori understands the importance of diversity: “Diverse voices need to be heard.” She and Melissa also discuss how important it is for young men to grow up seeing women in power and see women as leaders. It should be normalized for women and minorities to be in positions of power and the more people break down the barrier, the more regular it will become. Diverse voices mean diverse ideas, and the world would be a much better place if everyone was heard.
One of the most important tools for Lori to have in her professional life and personal life is communication. She is constantly communicating with her staff, her friends, and her family to provide the best experience for everyone around, including herself. She expresses her needs, priorities, and feelings with them to get everyone on the same page and working as a team. She says she “hires people smarter than her.” She doesn’t pretend to know it all; she allows others to help her and teach her things just as much as she does for them, which is something every leader should do.
Lori also shares a nonnegotiable thing for her, which is twenty minutes of movement a day, whether it be riding a bike, going for a walk, or anything that just gets her body in motion. That’s an important boundary for her that she sets and sticks to. Not everyone has to have a non-negotiable such as this, but for her, it’s the best way to stay healthy in both mind and body.
Dr. Lori Rice-Spearman has dozens of wonderful accomplishments, and it was an honor to have her as a guest on the F.E.E.L podcast. She provided amazing insight into her life and how she’s accomplished everything she has so far. I look forward to seeing her continue to move up in the world as well as provide inspiration for those around her.