Dublin-Worthington News Stories
Member Spotlight: Beth Liston
By Paul J. CynkarFriday, July 16, 2021
Advancing the Leadership Mindset
Finding Success in the Success of Others
This is another in a series of member profiles based on discovery interview questions that were designed to get an up close view of the traits and strengths of some of the members who provide leadership to this organization.Finding Success in the Success of Others
Membership Spotlight: Dr. Beth Liston, MD, PhD, MPH
Wellness, Policy, Service to People!
Wellness, Policy, Service to People!
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Tell us about yourself. Give us three facts that include information about your family, your career and your pastimes.I am a physician who practices internal medicine and pediatrics at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center and Nationwide Children’s Hospital. I link most of my activities to my career. I see patients, do research and teach. My belief in wellness started my thinking about health policies which then led me to run for state representative from the 21st district in Franklin County. I am now in my second term. Being a state rep gives me an opportunity to make a difference beyond what I can do in the hospitals. My daughter is a junior and my son is a freshman in the Dublin Schools. In our spare time our family loves to play board games.
How long have you belonged to Rotary? What’s the best thing about membership?
I joined Rotary three years ago. I learned that when running for office you connect with many organizations and many people. When I connected with Rotarians I recognized that they were “good people doing good things.” I like that Rotary brings together people from different backgrounds and different professions to provide support to others and the community.
As you look back on your life and your career, where and when did you have the biggest impact on others? Who was impacted and how?
I love medicine and applied science and I’m always looking for ways to expand my role. I feel my biggest impact has been the teaching part. Through teaching I’ve been able to touch so many people who then have the chance to help others. I hope to make an impact in the Ohio House but I realize that will take time.
As you look back, which of the opportunities you’ve had has been the most fulfilling to you personally? Why?
It’s those moments when I have the opportunity to help individuals that I find most fulfilling. Beyond that, it’s the combination of helping individuals, making connections and developing new ways to approach situations and problems.
Describe the most challenging project you’ve ever worked on. What was your role? What was the result? What did you learn?
Running for office for the first time was definitely a challenge. I had not been involved in politics prior to this. It was all new for me. It took lots of training, learning and connecting. Coincidentally, training, learning and connecting are strengths for me so I was able to do something that I do best.
What are some things you are passionate about? What really excites you? What gets your adrenalin flowing? What makes your heart sing?
I really like seeing a new puzzle and determining how I will approach it and how I will solve it. As mentioned before, I believe in wellness. This includes physical, mental, social and community wellness. I want to help people develop a positive well-being and be happy.
What are you especially skilled at? What is something that others often tell you that they think makes you stand out?
I’ve been told that I am a creative problem solver. I am good at building effective teams but I don’t have to be the team leader. I have always been good at school. Many people I serve as a physician and as a legislator tell me they appreciate the efforts I make on their behalf.
When you have a moment to sit back and think (dream) about your future, what do you think about? What things would you like to do in your life that you haven’t gotten around to yet? Is there something else you would like to accomplish?
I don’t really have a clear vision for that yet. I will definitely continue on an academic path which I hope to broaden and expand. I would like to continue to combine my knowledge and experience to help others. I want to take my two worlds, medicine and politics and build on them. I think it’s still early in the game but I will continue to explore opportunities and appropriate timing.
If you could choose anyone (alive or deceased) to have lunch with, who would it be? Why?
I used to think it would be Nelson Mandela, who seems such an obvious choice. But now I think there is more than just one person. There are so many others whose passion and dedication have made a difference for others. I would love to share lunch and ideas with as many of them as possible.