2007 Most Influential Women Honoree: Nancy O'Reilly

Nancy Dain O’Reilly, Psy. D., provides consultation and training in health and wellness for public business and industry through O’Reilly Health and Wellness Services LLC in Rogersville.

“As a nationally certified traumatologist, crisis responder and team leader, I served in New York after 9/11, in Florida after Hurricane Katrina, in Missouri after tornadoes and in San Diego after fires,” O’Reilly said. “I speak and teach frequently on issues of concern including depression, migraine, mental health, constructive confrontation, family systems, workplace violence, stress management, compassion fatigue and self esteem.”

O’Reilly is proud to have founded the WomenSpeak Project, which has the goal of helping women live joyfully at any age. The project provides a supportive atmosphere where women can share their experiences of growing older.

“During 10 years of research, I have learned from more than 1,000 women of all ages that their concerns center on their health, relationships, finances and the aging process itself,” O’Reilly said. “I help find the information (women) need to fulfill their potential. The outreach continues to grow through my Web site, www.womenspeak.com, which has received as many as 117,000 hits per month and is growing.”

O’Reilly currently serves on boards and committees in support of the Victim Center, Springfield Trust Co., Community Crisis Team of the Ozarks, Community Foundation of the Ozarks and the Breast Cancer Foundation of the Ozarks. She is the honorary chair of the Pregnancy Care Building Campaign and a member of the national Women’s Community Advisory Council. She is also a major donor to the O’Reilly Family Foundation and the Larry and Nancy O’Reilly Family Foundation, which partners to fund projects benefiting children and families.

One-on-one with Nancy O’Reilly

What advice do you have for young women preparing to enter the work force?

First, research the position you want and then match up your skills and sell yourself – let (employers) know what you will bring to the workplace and what you want from the job. They will love that you are serious about working for them.

Beyond the Golden Rule, what philosophy guides you?

Be nice to people and “do no harm.” It is amazing to me that for some reason people think the average person does not have a memory. You meet the same people going up the ladder as you do going down, and they all have long memories.

Please tell us about your family.

They are all full of life, (my) daughters Lauren, Leigh and Ragan, and they are beautiful and we have a lot of fun together. They all live in L.A. … I have four granddaughters: Alexis, 13, Isabel, 5, P.J., and cute little Dain who was named after me. … Dain and P.J. are almost 2 this month and are fraternal twins. Last but not least is Larry, my hubby for almost 39 years. I met him when I was 18 at Drury University at a sorority-fraternity exchange. I was never going to marry – guess he changed my mind.

My mother and dad are still living. Dad is 88, and mom is 87 (Don and Phyllis Tisdale) and they live here. … Mom and I still play golf together. My sister, Steff, and my brothers, Brad and Doug, visit often.

The O’Reilly clan is a close crew, and our family get-togethers are getting a little crowded. The Irish know how to have a good time.

Information accurate at the time of the honor.