Life and Work with Morgan Hills-Adetoye

Today we’d like to introduce you to Morgan Hills-Adetoye.

Thanks for sharing your story with us Morgan. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I went to school to be a teacher and taught for a few years, but ended up transitioning into becoming a nanny. I truly loved nannying and enjoyed sharing my days with children and watching them grow over time into individuals. Almost three years ago, I came to the decision to step away from nannying. I really wanted to take time to learn more about myself and figure out what I was passionate about outside of the love that I had and still have for children.

I began to work for The Women In Fitness Association (WIFA.) WIFA is a global not for profit that supports professional women in the fitness industry. I started out part-time as an admin and grew into my current role as the Director of Operations and Marketing. I run all things within the association including events, member relations, partnerships, sponsorships, and more. I work closely with Lindsey Rainwater, the founder and CEO, and together, along with our supporters, we have grown the association to be an intrical part of the fitness industry at large.

Has it been a smooth road? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way? Any advice for other women, particularly young women who are just starting their journey?
Overall, my path has been on the smoother side with a couple of hiccups. I am still very early in my career, so I know it will continue to be challenging. The biggest challenge I have faced has been truly by choice. The work that motivates me and that I am passionate about, oftentimes are positions that do not make very much money. This is a constant stress that I feel, the positions that I have held are undervalued. I want to help and contribute to society in a meaningful way, and I also have to pay my bills. At times those two things Do not go hand in hand, so I have had to pick up several side jobs over the years to cover my expenses. Although stressful, I would not change the work I do and have done.

A piece of advice I would tell young women is to try a lot of things! Starting at an age where you can work, do many different jobs over the years. I think the biggest disservice we can do to ourselves is only doing one or two jobs before settling into a career. You do not know what you are good at or what you love until you immerse yourself in it.

We’d love to learn more about your work. What do you do, what do you specialize in, what are you known for, etc. What are you most proud of as a brand, organization or service provider? What sets you apart from others?
I really call myself the director of all things WIFA. The association puts on monthly virtual meetings that have up to 4 female panelists, on different career development topics. I organize the panelist, the content covered, and the marketing of those virtual experiences. WIFA also has a quarterly mentor program where women within the community can opt in to be paired with another member. I manage all things that are related to the mentorship program.

I also work with our Founder and partners to put on live women’s leadership events all over the nation. I love event planning, so being able to organize a full day of career development to empower women brings me so much joy!

In 2019, we partnered with Struct Club to develop and launch a scholarship program called Struct Scholars. It is meant to support college-aged young women from diverse backgrounds who are interested in a career in fitness. We provide them an intensive mentorship program with veteran female fitness professionals to help jumpstart their careers. I am very proud of the scholarship and excited to expand on it for years to come! Those are just a few things amongst the many that I do for WIFA.

One thing that sets me apart within my industry is my persistence around the conversation of diversity and inclusion. It became very apparent to me when I entered into the fitness industry world that there is a major problem with diversity and inclusion within. From group fitness instructors to studio/club owners to the access to even be healthy, you see it at every level. This is why I feel so strongly about using my privilege to create spaces where conversations around D&I can be had and opportunities are given to those whose genius may have been overlooked in the past.

Often it feels as if the media, by and large, is only focused on the obstacles faced by women, but we feel it’s important to also look for the opportunities. In your view, are there opportunities that you see that women are particularly well positioned for?
I think something that women can capitalize on in our current climate is that those who were not paying attention before are paying attention now. As women, we need to speak up and advocate for ourselves, because people are listening (although it sometimes does not feel like that) they are paying closer attention. My job is to be a champion for women and in doing so I have hard conversations with individuals, as well as an assortment of companies. I present to them the opportunities they are missing out on, because of their lack of diversity and inclusion and how just small changes could create great outcomes for all. And although there is still A LOT of work to be done, progress is being made.

Contact Info:

• Email: morganlhills@gmail.com
• Instagram: moadetoye
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/morgan.hills.96
• Other: https://www.linkedin.com/in/morganhills/

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