Today we’d like to introduce you to Kendra Pickering-Clements.
Hi Kendra, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I grew up in SW Iowa and raised by two loving parents and a younger sister and brother. I was heavily involved in track and cheerleading. When I graduated from Clarinda High School, I went on to Northwest Missouri State University in Maryville, MO. There I ran track for one year, was involved in ROTC, and was a Student Ambassador for the NW Dietetics program. I graduated from NW in December of 2008 with a BS degree in Dietetics. I then did my dietetic internship through Iowa State University and passed my exams allowing me to be a registered dietitian. On May 22, 2022, I married Brad Pickering. We were best friends and enjoyed spending time with friends and laughing.
I worked as a dietitian for WIC in several locations in NW Missouri (Buchanan, Nodaway, and Holt Counties) in which I gave nutrition counseling to pregnant women, infants, and young children.
I then worked several years as a food service director and menu database specialist for Lunchtime Solutions (a K-12 food service management company). I had several school districts that I managed (Maryville, North Harrison, Northeast Nodaway, and Stanberry). It was during this job that I had two incredible boys, born in 2011 and 2013.
I then worked several years as the director of nutrition for Mosaic Lifecare in Maryville. In this position I was in charge of nutrition services, cafeteria, catering, and patient meals. While I was at this position my husband was diagnosed with Stage IV pancreatic cancer when he was just 36 years old (I was 35), in 2020. We were shocked because he was a healthy, strong, and incredible man.
Mosaic is great about investing into their employees and put me through Leadership Northwest Missouri. LNWMO is a regional leadership development program that is meant for up and coming and seasoned leaders by helping build, strengthen, and inspire leaders through training and networking experiences. In January of 2022, I started the program that changed my life. It tilted my mindset and lit a fire in me that wanted to build relationships and inspire communities. I was incredibly humbled by the support I received from these strangers that very quickly became family. This was about the same time that Brad was told there is no other treatments available and hospice was initiated. Brad went to be with his heavenly Father on March 4, 2022. He was an incredible husband, father, friend, and son. Brad wanted to live more than anyone I’ve known, so we will continue to live for him and share life and humor with those in his honor. My LNWMO Class of 2022 was incredibly supportive during this hard time and I was so grateful to have them beside me.
I enjoyed my time with my classmates and the organization so much in fact that I did not want the time to end. I sat on the LNWMO general board to remain involved. 7 months after my late husband passed, the unthinkable happened. I, myself was diagnosed with Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma at the young age of 36. I was diagnosed quickly and started treatment right away. Most of my treatment was done at Mosaic in St Joseph and Maryville but then had to have a T Cell therapy at KU Med Center. At KU Med my white blood cells were harvested, shipped to California, manipulated to be able to see my cancer, and put back into me. This therapy saved my life; however, it comes with serious side effects. I was given another round of chemotherapy and had the T cells reinserted in my body. The rare side effect: a coma and of course this happened. I was in a coma at KU Med for a week. I am so blessed to have my family take care of my two kids, and my mom never left my side. When I finally became conscious, I had serious brain fog and had to slowly critical think, talk, and walk. This was a painfully slow process and had to live in Kansas City (two hours away from my two children) for over two months. Thankfully the treatment was successful.
Right before I was diagnosed with cancer, I met Stuart. Stuart and I have similar stories because he too, has two young children and lost his spouse to cancer just a few months before Brad’s passing. Our friendship grew from supporting friend to more.
Brad and my cancers were determined to be environmental and not genetic. When I was diagnosed, Stuart did not hesitate, “you and your boys will come live with me.” Although our relationship was new, our families combined then and he took care of me when I was too weak to move, let alone cook, clean, and provide for my family.
I finished my treatment in Kansas City and was finally able to come home in the Summer of 2023. The former Executive Director for LNWMO decided to retire and I thought the part time role would be perfect for me since I was trying to spend more time with family, grow my strength back, and finally complete the master’s degree I had started and stopped so many times.
Leadership Northwest Missouri is a life-changing experience. As a participant it challenged me, blessed with me with amazing friendships and gives an incredible network of likeminded people. I have grown professionally, personally, and my relationships are stronger. I know that I am gritty and can conquer anything I put my mind on.
Fast forward to now. Stuart and I got married in July 2025. We have an incredible blended family and support each other through sickness, health, numerous school activities, and all the chaos that comes with having two 12-year-olds, a 14-year-old and a 15-year-old. I completed my master’s in December 2024. And I’m blessed to get to help run a program that changes people’s lives giving them quality leadership training, understanding of regional issues, and professional development hours. I am blessed.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
husband passed of pancreatic cancer, 7 months later I was diagnosed with cancer, went in a coma, had to relearn to walk, stopped my master’s program many times, had to move out of our family home because we were concerned there could be some environmental factor making us ill there.
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Leadership Northwest Missouri?
Leadership Northwest Missouri is a regional leadership development program that is designed for up and coming and established leaders. Classes meet monthly from January through June with a graduation ceremony in July. We began in 2001 and have 529 Alumni! We are a nonprofit program, and participants are selected based on their desire to become a more effective leader in the region. Our region is defined as the following 19 counties: Andrew, Atchison, Buchanan, Caldwell, Carroll, Clay, Clinton, Daviess, DeKalb, Gentry, Grundy, Harrison, Holt, Linn, Livingston, Mercer, Nodaway, Sullivan and Worth.
LNWMO is most commonly known for bringing groups of approximately 20 regional leaders from strangers to lifelong friends. Dr. Tim Crowley is at each class and motivates and teaches how to lead well by being an emotionally intelligent leader. Each month we go to a different county and dive into a regional issue (i.e., healthcare, mental health, entrepreneurship, education, technology, agriculture, etc.)
LNWMO is credited for the creating of Great Northwest Day at the Capitol in Jefferson City. This annual event brings together citizens from the 19-county Northwest Missouri region to engage directly with state legislators and officials.
LNWMO is special because it allows regional leaders to give back to their communities in meaningful ways. You get to experience the diverse communities and economies that drive Northwest Missouri and it gives participants meaningful insight and practical tools to improve your own local area. The biggest benefit is the relationships you build that will last long after the program ends and a new class begins.
Can you tell us more about what you were like growing up?
I tried so many things.. have you heard the saying good at many things, master at none. I feel like that describes me. I was in cheer, track, basketball, volleyball, softball, national honor society, tried many majors (Accouonting, Finance, ROTC, considered Army and Coast Guard, then finally landed on Nutrition because I was a sophomore and needed to make up my mind. I feel that I’m good at relationships and smiling. I am resilient. Humor is so important and kindness is my super power.
Pricing:
- $1,000 is tuition, includes course materials, one overnight stay, professional development hours, and motivation from an internationally known speaker and psychologist
- Many different class sponsorship levels for businesses wanting to get their name out there and use our database of 529 Alumni and growing
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.leadershipnorthwestmissouri.org/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lnwmo
