Mosaic CEO Marks 40 Years with the Organization (This Round!)
When Linda Timmons started working 3 to 11 p.m. shifts on the Mosaic in Axtell campus (then known as Bethphage) as a high school student in the early 1980s, she didn’t anticipate where that would lead.
What began as a part-time job grew into a life’s calling.
Today, Linda is Mosaic’s President and CEO, and on March 7, she will celebrate a significant milestone–40 consecutive years with the organization.
Spreading her wings
Linda stayed in that part-time job through her senior year in high school and her first two-and-a-half years of college. Then, because she was planning to pursue a career in social work, she left to work in the admissions department of a local hospital to gain healthcare experience. But only two months after graduating from Kearney State College (now the University of Nebraska at Kearney), she was back.
“When I graduated, almost every job I applied for was in the disability field, and I knew that Bethphage was the best!” she said.
She was hired (for the second time) on March 7, 1986. While she is observing her 40th anniversary as a full-time employee this weekend, Linda’s earlier part-time work puts her time with the organization at 43.5 years.
Those she served and those who served
In today’s landscape, a 40-year career with the same organization is not as common as it once was. Linda said she stays because of the people who have been part of Mosaic’s mission.
Individuals like Joe, who moved to Bethphage the same day she started as a Direct Support Professional. Also, David, who regularly asked her to play the piano after dinner so he could sing his favorite hymns. Then there’s Paul and Kenneth, friends who moved from a state-operated facility to a community group home.
She also stays for the hundreds of family members who have confidence in Mosaic’s ability to care for their loved one, and the donors, volunteers, and board members who give of their time, talent, and treasures to advance our work.
“There is something special that brings people to our mission and draws them into the services we offer to make the world a better place,” Linda said.
She also credits her longevity to the opportunities she was given to learn through experience and formal training, and the mission-driven people she has worked alongside.
“I have been so fortunate to work with people who are highly skilled, mission-driven, and values-led,” Linda said. “Each of them provided moments of mentoring that helped shape me into the person I am today!”
Grounded in the values of faith
Growing up in the small town of Axtell, Linda recalls the many times she saw people who were served at Bethphage participate in community activities—piano recitals, church services, basketball games—and how the community was invited to the campus for events as well.
Those experiences and examples set by her parents have been influential.
“My father was a Lutheran pastor, and for several years, my mother worked as a nurse on the campus and later in an administrative support role,” Linda said. “My parents modeled inclusion and acceptance while providing inspiration for my career in the nonprofit sector.”
They also instilled the beliefs that led her to a life of faith and service.
“I am a person of faith, and my belief that God walks alongside me is a huge influence on my work with Mosaic,” Linda said “I believe that God calls us to practice justice, love mercy, and walk humbly (Micah 6:8).”
Challenges and blessings along the way
Linda would rely on her faith as she faced the challenges that often accompany leadership roles. Linda became an Executive Director when she was 25 years old, and notes, “I had the drive for the role, but boy did I have to learn a lot!”
She remembers a budget challenge that had her and other volunteers (including her parents) clipping coupons to help with food for the group homes. Later, when she was named CEO of the Bethphage West affiliate, she was challenged to lead through rapid growth and bring the team together to leverage their strengths.
But with challenges also came plenty of highlights. There was the evolution of services, which included opening new group homes, bringing people from state-run facilities to live in the community, and a gradual expansion to serve more people, culminating in an introduction that proved to be the ultimate personal highlight.
It was while Executive Director that Linda met Randy Timmons, who has now been her husband for 35 years.
“We were regularly seeking great male staff to work with the guys who lived in a six-person group home,” she said. “Randy applied for a job, and I remember driving him to the group home to confirm that he could cook for six! Before long, his manager kept nudging us to go out on a date, but of course, I wouldn’t go out with an employee! He quit and came to see me right after he put in his notice and asked me out.”
When Linda and Randy were married, all of the guys from the group home came to the ceremony and remained “No. 1 Randy Timmons fans!”
“I am grateful to have a life partner who knows and understands how important this work is!”
Becoming President and CEO in 2008
Linda was installed as President and Chief Executive Officer in 2008, five years after Bethphage and Martin Luther Homes had joined together as Mosaic. She is the first woman to serve in the role.
Her tenure began at the beginning of the 2008 market crash and economic crisis in the United States, which she said, shaped her approach to the role.
“As CEO, I hold the mission so it remains at the heart of all we do. I remind people we fulfill our mission because we are called to love and serve,” she said. “Ultimately, I am accountable for all outcomes of the organization, but I know that it is only possible to achieve mission success when we work together and bring our hearts, hands, and minds together around our commitment to people.”
Linda said she is proud of the work being done across the Mosaic network and enjoys sharing Mosaic’s story and the impact the organization has made.
Temporary caretaker of a legacy
Linda now spends more than half of her time on strategic, forward-looking work.
“I am deep into thinking about our next strategic roadmap and where I would like the organization to be within the next decade,” she said. “The world needs organizations like ours whose purpose is grounded in mission and vision. It takes a village, and ours continues to grow.”
Deep in her core, Linda believes her role is to inspire and enlist others to join in the work. That includes the church, communities, donors, elected officials, and the people supported.
“This is not about me,” Linda said. “It is about a mission that has been around for 113 years and hopefully will continue for decades to come. I hope to be remembered as someone who appreciated the rich history of the organization and inspired people to take up the torch and move forward!”