APRIL 2017 Featured Interview |
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Interview with
Marta Wilson, Ph.D.
CEO and Award-winning Philanthropist
About Marta:
Marta is an industrial-organizational psychologist and the CEO of Transformation Systems Inc. (TSI), an executive strategies and management systems engineering firm that helps clients in the public and private sectors boost efficiency, effectiveness, productivity, quality and savings. Her company has ranked on the Inc. 5000 List for five consecutive years. Marta is an internationally acclaimed speaker who has presented throughout the U.S. as well as in Scotland, South Africa and Singapore. She has also written several business books, including Energized Enterprise, Everybody’s Business, Leaders in Motion and the Transformation Desktop Guide.
In addition to her roles in business, Marta is a dedicated philanthropist who pours her passion and enthusiasm into many charitable fundraisers and projects. Marta walks the walk when it comes to corporate social responsibility. She created and steers TSI's award-winning Feed to Lead Program, which provides funding and critical volunteer hours to select charities. She is also Chairman of the Board of Easter Seals serving DC|MD|VA and a member of the American Red Cross Tiffany Circle. Recognition for Marta’s charitable efforts include: Heroines of Washington Award, National Jefferson Award for Public Service, Brava! Award, and Fairfax Chamber Outstanding Corporate Citizenship Award.
Marta is an industrial-organizational psychologist and the CEO of Transformation Systems Inc. (TSI), an executive strategies and management systems engineering firm that helps clients in the public and private sectors boost efficiency, effectiveness, productivity, quality and savings. Her company has ranked on the Inc. 5000 List for five consecutive years. Marta is an internationally acclaimed speaker who has presented throughout the U.S. as well as in Scotland, South Africa and Singapore. She has also written several business books, including Energized Enterprise, Everybody’s Business, Leaders in Motion and the Transformation Desktop Guide.
In addition to her roles in business, Marta is a dedicated philanthropist who pours her passion and enthusiasm into many charitable fundraisers and projects. Marta walks the walk when it comes to corporate social responsibility. She created and steers TSI's award-winning Feed to Lead Program, which provides funding and critical volunteer hours to select charities. She is also Chairman of the Board of Easter Seals serving DC|MD|VA and a member of the American Red Cross Tiffany Circle. Recognition for Marta’s charitable efforts include: Heroines of Washington Award, National Jefferson Award for Public Service, Brava! Award, and Fairfax Chamber Outstanding Corporate Citizenship Award.
Myrna Beth Haskell, managing editor, spoke with Marta about her diverse leadership experiences in the non-profit sector, the success of her company’s Feed to Lead program and how lending a helping hand has led to other positive experiences.
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Could you tell me a bit about TSI’s Feed to Lead program?
I had always wanted to have the company inextricably interwoven with the community. A few years ago, I talked with my management team about corporate social responsibility. We discussed outreach efforts that we might be interested in and decided that the purpose behind our outreach would be to nurture leadership potential in those who need a helping hand. We researched different charities we could align ourselves with, knowing that we wanted to get out there and actually volunteer and get our hands dirty…meet people. We realized that some of the charities we were looking into wouldn’t have hands-on opportunities. Then, we decided to help out the So Others Might Eat organization. We participated on Thanksgiving. We got there at 6 am, cooked and served breakfast to hundreds of people. We knew that this is how we wanted to help – participation as well as offering financial assistance. Each year, we establish a calendar with lots of opportunities that people can get involved with. It gives our employees plenty of warning and lead-time so they can check with their own schedules. |
TSI team running in the Thanksgiving Day Trot for Hunger
benefiting So Others Might Eat organization |
Today, we are supporting the American Red Cross, the March of Dimes and Easter Seals. We’re looking forward to helping out with the Easter Seals Bright Stars program* by taking the kids and their families to the Ringling Bros. Circus. We’ll have to switch to something else in the future…maybe Disney on Ice. It’s such a shame that the circus will be closing.
*Note: Easter Seals Bright Stars program: Volunteers share the joy of the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus with someone whose everyday obstacles may not allow them to attend. Thousands of children and adults with disabilities will be able to enjoy an exciting night at the circus.
*Note: Easter Seals Bright Stars program: Volunteers share the joy of the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus with someone whose everyday obstacles may not allow them to attend. Thousands of children and adults with disabilities will be able to enjoy an exciting night at the circus.
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Tell me about your responsibilities as Chairman of the Board of Easter Seals DC|MD|VA.
It’s a lot of work, but very fulfilling! I have 30 board members, and they’re all very busy people in the D.C. region. I work with the CEO and his staff on planning meetings - I lead four annual meetings and also quarterly meetings. We work with dignitaries and celebrities who serve on our honorary board. I also serve on committees for the organization, such as the Campaign Fundraising Committee. This is a three-year, 30-million-dollar fundraising campaign, so there’s a lot to it. We’re expected to be very active. It’s important to work on shaping relationships with our donors. I facilitate the annual Board Retreat and create the agendas for that as well. How has giving back changed your perspective as a CEO? I believe that it helps me to grow as a person and a leader. In this life, I want to be my best and do great things. Helping others achieve their goals is part of that, too. I think the volunteering has truly helped me create deeper relationships with local and national community members. It’s another way to connect that’s not just about business…it’s about improving your community. If you don’t direct and channel some of your energies in this way, you have a missing piece as a leader. |
Marta (far right) presenting an award at the Easter Seals Advocacy Awards
(TSI supports this event each year.) |
What is your most memorable moment as a volunteer?
I had an experience a couple of years ago that has really stuck with me. The TSI staff were volunteering at an Easter Seals event on a Saturday. It was for the Military Family Respite Program.* These are fun days for the kids. Clowns and magicians are brought in, and there’s lots of entertainment. There are themes on some days, such as Halloween Day when the kids dress up. My husband came along with me. We were assigned to twin boys. One of the twins had been on a feeding tube for most of his early life. Their dad was a wounded warrior with some of his own issues. He came in toward the end and was so genuinely thankful. He talked with us for a bit. I remember him telling us, “My wife and I are so busy all the time and this has given us some much needed time together.” We were exhausted when we got home. We had been racing and crawling around all day with these kids. We were also just saturated with this dad’s personal situation. It truly touched me in a very deep way.
I had an experience a couple of years ago that has really stuck with me. The TSI staff were volunteering at an Easter Seals event on a Saturday. It was for the Military Family Respite Program.* These are fun days for the kids. Clowns and magicians are brought in, and there’s lots of entertainment. There are themes on some days, such as Halloween Day when the kids dress up. My husband came along with me. We were assigned to twin boys. One of the twins had been on a feeding tube for most of his early life. Their dad was a wounded warrior with some of his own issues. He came in toward the end and was so genuinely thankful. He talked with us for a bit. I remember him telling us, “My wife and I are so busy all the time and this has given us some much needed time together.” We were exhausted when we got home. We had been racing and crawling around all day with these kids. We were also just saturated with this dad’s personal situation. It truly touched me in a very deep way.
*Note: Easter Seals’ Military Family Respite Program provides a critically important service for military families whose children have severe disabilities. Juggling the special care of their children with the demands of service to our nation places these families at the risk of burnout and other domestic challenges. This program provides families with “time off” from parenting and specialized support for their children.
What is your most memorable moment as an entrepreneur, and are these special moments related in any way?
One connection I can make is that our company has worked with Department of Defense agencies. We won a contract in 2007 which became a ten year effort. There were many people involved. It was a protective vehicle program to help prevent extreme injuries from improvised explosives. Our people would just stay and work through the night…they wouldn’t go home. They were so pumped up and committed to the mission. They were completely focused on the success of the project.
Thinking of these moments creates a full circle for me.
What is your most memorable moment as an entrepreneur, and are these special moments related in any way?
One connection I can make is that our company has worked with Department of Defense agencies. We won a contract in 2007 which became a ten year effort. There were many people involved. It was a protective vehicle program to help prevent extreme injuries from improvised explosives. Our people would just stay and work through the night…they wouldn’t go home. They were so pumped up and committed to the mission. They were completely focused on the success of the project.
Thinking of these moments creates a full circle for me.
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Is there anything else you’d like our readers to know?
I would really love it if you would encourage your readers to contact me. I’m interested to hear how this [volunteering, community involvement] resonates with them. *Note: Readers can contact Marta from her website (see link below). 
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Marta reading at TSI’s annual Leaders are Readers event
at the Easter Seals Child Development Center |
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For more information about Marta's company:
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Visit Marta's website:
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For more information about Marta's books:
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