Janet M. Widener

Board member

Motivated by Open Heart Yoga Studio's mission of supporting the local community through partnerships while continuing to practice and develop a healthy lifestyle, Janet began her yoga journey at Open Heart Yoga as a patron in 2019. After three steady years (and a pandemic), Janet joins Open Heart as a Board Member in 2022 to become a bigger part of their mission.

Janet began her career while interning in the summer months of college at Merrill Lynch in New York. She accepted a full-time position as a Quality Assurance Analyst for the controller's office directly under the CEO. After spending several years enjoying her career, she decided to take a break to prioritize raising her sons, given she believed in the importance of having a hands-on parenting approach, being a good mentor, and encouraging the pursuit of education from an early age. After her sons were grown, Janet re-entered the workforce at a Private Equity firm in New York as the Assistant Office Manager. She always enjoyed the business financial sector and was involved in new employees' hiring, onboarding, and training processes. She mentored young students and new employees in their post-college career transitions. "Supporting new employees in their career growth provided a rewarding and fulfilling experience, knowing they were able to launch into their careers with confidence and witnessing them grow was the ultimate accomplishment; I love to see people flourish.”

Janet loves to spend time with her husband, Tom, and her family during her leisure time. She enjoys staying active through yoga and golf, reading good books, and traveling the world. Her motto is, "When your heart beats for the things you love, there's no stopping it." She looks forward to continuing to serve the community in part through OHY and believes in the practice of yoga, given all the mental and physical benefits it brings through consistency.