WOMEN TO WATCH

Randi Metcalf

Chief Operating Officer
CareLink

As a nonprofit, CareLink provides vital assistance to older people in central Arkansas. In joining the CareLink team after college in 2008, I served as a social worker allowing me to gain beneficial program experience and later enhancing my impact on the agency’s direction. Over the following years at CareLink, I worked in our development department and eventually landed as vice president of development. In the spring of 2020, I received the opportunity to work along with programs to ensure CareLink is serving the community as beneficially as possible.

PRESSING QUESTIONS

How I knew this was my passion

I have always had a very close bond with my grandparents, fostering my fondness of older people and desire to reciprocate the care they've given us. Seeing CareLink meet the basic needs of nourishment, safety and socialization solidified my passion.

Biggest challenges in my career

My greatest challenge is supervising directors who are mavens of their field and beyond capable of ensuring successful programs. I have to view it as a partnership between their skill and my institutional knowledge that benefits the overall mission.

Nonprofit I wish more people knew about

CareLink, CareLink, CareLink. The nonprofit is an asset to anyone who is or who loves an older Arkansan. If we can't provide direct service, like Meals on Wheels, we can direct you to all of the best resources available.

Best career moment so far

My best moment was beginning our Urgent Needs fund. My long-standing daydream became a reality, thanks to a compassionate donor, and has resulted in providing seniors with assistance in emergency situations where there is no other available funding or resource.

One practice I use to maintain my mental health

Regular time at the gym. There is no better way for me to release the day's frustrations or feelings of failure than taking out aggression and leaving feeling accomplished, even if it was ugly and turned my face purple.

Best advice I ever received

Don't should all over yourself. As a chronic people-pleaser, learning that being conscious of where I "should" too much has eased some of my self-imposed obligation. "People-pleaser" is my flavored gummy version of "enabler and soon to be bitter."

The one thing I wish people knew about my field

Thankfully, I think people generally see value in and the need for nonprofit organizations, but few are aware of how little support we receive compared to the needs of our community. Donations literally determine what needs we can meet.

My first job and what it taught me

My work at the Disability Resource Center at Henderson State lent exposure to students facing varying challenges without feeling limited. The perspective I gained gave me a new outlook on my insufficiencies and set my nonprofit heart in motion.

A skill I never expected to need in this field

The dreaded public speaking. For 25 years, I avoided God and everyone staring at me communicate like a baby giraffe learning to walk. There's no exposure therapy like a live news camera so I'm happy to report: I'm mostly healed.

What keeps me coming back to my job every day

It all begins with the mission of CareLink combined with passionate co-workers, but the end result is what will keep me coming back: a bunch of people without much funding seeking to fulfill our neighbors' unmet basic human necessities.

IT'S ALL IN THE DETAILS

Hometown

Greater Little Rock

I can't start my day until

Caffeine and podcasts

Hobbies

Any vehicle of true-crime stories, fostering dogs and home improvement projects

Binge watch

“The Office,” my forever

Last good read

Fifth re-read of “Love Warrior” by Glennon Doyle

Favorite meal in town

Anything that North Bar puts between a bun

Best recent local discovery

Trader Joe's. Not recent and not local, but I'm in the honeymoon phase of it being closer than Memphis.

Latest splurge

A leather couch. They had me at "stain-proof."

Most-used app

Spotify

Dream vacation

Any island that receives poor phone coverage

SPONSORS