Meredith Gleklen Gardner

Meredith Gardner (born November 25, 1941) is an American author, leadership coach and entrepreneur. Gardner is perhaps best known for her work in the early 1980s (Too Young To Retire).. She was hired by Governor Michael Dukakis to pioneer the efforts of gaining federal funds from ACTION.
She is the author of the books Think Better, Lead Better: Chinese Characters Reveal Strategies for Success, and My Friend Frank.
Early years and education
Background
Meredith Gardner was born 25 November 1941 in Providence, Rhode Island, the second of five children born to Leo Gleklen and Gertrude Ketover Gleklen.
In the 7th grade, her mother hired a retired high school French teacher to take care of the children. This was the beginning of her two lifelong interests. When she was in her 7th grade French class, she signed up to receive a French pen-pal. They met in person over the years, and despite the decades, they still maintain close contact. And, as a young person, having a close relationship with a woman in her 70’s, was very impactful on Gardner’s education and career.
Education
In 1959, she received her high school diploma from Hope High School in Providence, Rhode Island. In addition, the Rhode Island Honor Society of Secondary Schools certified that Meredith Lee Gleklen was a student of worthy character, helpful leadership and a member of the senior class of Hope High School, and that she maintained that high grade of scholarship which was demanded of this society. She was therefore awarded the Certificate of Membership in the Rhode Island Honor Society of Secondary School, the 9th day of June, 1959. The certificate was signed by the Chairman of the R.I. Honor Society, Sister Mary Edward, RSM, and the Principal of Hope High, Howard G. Lewis.
The award acknowledged her worthy character, helpful leadership and indicated that she maintained that high grade of scholarship which is demanded of this SocietyHer academic achievements earned her a certificate of membership in the Rhode Island Honor Society of Secondary Schools, 9th day of June, 1959, Providence, Rhode Island.
The diploma, was signed by the principal of the school, Howard G. Lewis, and Sister Mary Edward, Chairman of the R.I. Honor Society membership in the Rhode Island Honor Society, indicating that she was a student of “Worthy Character, Helpful Leadership and a member of the Senior Class of Hope High School and has maintained that High Grade of Scholarship which is demanded of this society. For extra-curricular activities, she was a page editor for the high-school newspaper,
“The Hope Log”, Advertising Manager for the 1959 Blue and White yearbook, a member of the Junior Alliance French Club, Future Teachers Club, Slide Rule Club, a Varsity Cheerleader, and Junior Prom Queen.
After receiving her high school diploma, Gardner promptly enrolled in Colby Junior College (now Colby-Sawyer College). She received her Associates Degree in Liberal Arts, 1961. Gardner then transferred to New York University where she was awarded a Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology from Washington Square College, 1963. She belonged to the Alliance Francaise, and many international activities for foreign students and Americans. She was one of the early members of The Interracial Chorus Group of New York City; she sang Hyden’s Chorus at Carnegie Hall in 1961.
Later in her career, the New Seminary of New York conferred upon Reverend Meredith Gardner the degree of Minister of Spiritual Counseling, the 17th day of January, 1998. The diploma is signed by Rabbi Joseph Gelberman, President; Rev. Diane Berke, Dean, and Rev. Susie Williams, Secretary. The New Seminary is incorporated and Chartered by the Board of Regents of the University of the State of New York in behalf of the State Department of Education. The graduation and ordination ceremonies were held at Saint Francis Xavier Church, New York City.
The City of New York Office of the City Clerk certified that Meredith Gardner was registered as a Marriage Officiant, and was registered to perform marriages in the City of New York, pursuant to Section 11-B of the Domestic Relations Law. Certification was signed by Victor L. Robles, City Clerk of the City of New York. All Faiths Seminary International in partnership with Commonwealth Open University let it be known that Meredith Lee Gardner complied with all the requirements of the Seminary and the University awarded her the degree of Doctor of Psychology, sixteenth day of August, 2013. Rabbi Gelberman was the President and Rev. Dr. Raine Teller, was the Dean and Thesis Advisor.
Career
Just after graduating from Columbia University, Gardner was hired in Manhattan as Director of Student Activities at Hunter College, City University of New York. After one year, she was hired by Boston College in 1966, as the first full time Director of the Foreign Student Office.
There she spent 5 years, responsible for all academic credentials of foreign students and scholars, issuing immigration documents, practical training/jobs, housing, host family program, liaison to the Massachusetts Department of Immigration, financial aid, social and cultural affairs/exhibits, and general counseling of issues that needed to be resolved. She was the youngest Foreign Student Advisor in the United States and she became an expert of evaluation of academic documents issued by universities from around the world.
Gardner lived with her husband in London, from 1971-1972. Governor Michael Dukakis had just started the first Department of Aging in the United States. As Director of the Retired Senior Volunteer Program, he hired her to pioneer the efforts of gaining federal funds from ACTION, (the federal agency that, at the time, oversaw the Peace Corps, Retired Senior Volunteer Program and Foster Grandparent). Along with her Assistant Director, Sally Ward, she recruited and hired all of the personnel to run the senior programs statewide. In the 2 years that she spent at the Department of Aging directing the Retired Senior Volunteer Programs, 17 grants were written and 100% of them received federal money, despite the federal diminishing funds. This placed Massachusetts second only to California. Almost 40 years later, 16 of the 17 programs are still in existence throughout the state of Massachusetts.
In 1976, Gardner came to New York and was hired by Hadley Lockwood, a search firm on Wall Street. She did research to identify prospective candidates. She was then invited to join the first female search firm in the country, called Gilbert Tweed. There she was a pioneer doing searches in the burgeoning field of robotics - computer aided design and computer aided manufacturing. She was then headhunted to go to a search firm in McLean, Virginia, just outside of Washington, DC. There she recruited aviation logistics engineers who were redesigning the aviation logistics systems for the Department of the Navy. In another pioneering effort, as a budding entrepreneur, she founded Too Young To Retire. She recruited older people, and did retirement planning seminars for Fortune 50 companies.
Bibliography
Her published books include:
* Think Better, Lead Better: Chinese Characters Reveal Strategies for Success, New York, New York: Thomas Hall Publishing. (2008) ISBN 978-0-615-19215-4
* My Friend Frank, New York, New York, A Too Young To Retire Publication, Illustrations by Mary C. Stephens. (1985) ISBN 0-935703-00-4

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