Kerry Tuttle has led Leadership Hendricks County since June 2017. Before joining Leadership Hendricks County, Tuttle served as the Executive Director of the Avon Education Foundation, worked in development for The Indianapolis Zoo and was the Executive Director for Prevent Child Abuse Hendricks County. She graduated from Indiana University with a degree in history and political science. Kerry and her husband, Jason, live in Avon with their daughter Lexi, a sophomore at Avon High School. Tuttle is a 2015 graduate of Leadership Hendricks County, serves on the Avon Education Foundation Board of Directors, and is a member of the Kiwanis Club of Avon.
What do you consider your greatest virtue?
I have always wanted to help others in any way that I can. When I see a need, my instinct is to jump in and take action, which explains why I was drawn to work with non-profits.
What do you most deplore in others?
Insincerity.
What do you like most about living in Hendricks County?
I’ve lived here nearly my entire life and it is the people in the community – family, friends, those I see every day – who make Hendricks County home.
If you had to live elsewhere than in Hendricks County, where would it be?
Anywhere warm with a beach nearby!
If you could begin life over¸ what would you change?
I would be more fearless. The world is full of tremendous opportunities if you aren’t afraid to try. I wish I had learned that lesson when I was younger!
If money were no issue, how would you spend it?
I would love to travel the world, learning from those whose cultures and experiences are different from my own.
What makes you happiest?
I am always happiest when I am spending time with my family, especially my daughter, Lexi.
What is your favorite vacation spot?
Walt Disney World. It truly is the “Happiest Place on Earth!”
What do you do with idle time?
I love to read anything I can. My favorite books are biographies of women who have impacted history.
What is it that makes you angry?
I become very angry when I see children who are mistreated in any way. Each child is a precious gift, full of endless potential for love, happiness, and success. We must support and nurture our children, teaching them to be leaders and caretakers of our future.
What do you do to escape from reality?
I used to tell my friends that if they ever saw me running, they should look for the wild animal chasing me because that would be my only motivation for running! Now, I love to run through the park or through my neighborhood. I tune out the rest of the world and am completely focused on the moment. Running is a very freeing experience for me.
What or who is the greatest love of your life?
My family is my greatest love. Every day, I am inspired by the kindness and compassion of my husband, Jason, and the connection we have with our daughter, Lexi, has redefined my idea of love.
Which living person in Hendricks County do you most admire?
Dr. Maggie Hoerneman has been a tremendous role model for me and for so many others in our community. She leads by example with her kindness, intelligence, and commitment to our community. Maggie is one of the most encouraging and inspiring women I’ve met and I’m thankful to be able to call her a friend.
What is the quality you most like in a man?
Respect for others.
What is the quality you most like in a woman?
Respect for others. I believe that all people, men and women, should treat each other with respect.
What is your greatest extravagance?
My family’s annual trip to Walt Disney World. We spend a week every year traveling to Orlando with my twin sister and her family. While it may seem extravagant, you can’t put a price tag on the memories we’ve made.
What are your fears, phobias?
Confined spaces and rodents. Combine the two and I would be terrified!
What has been the happiest time of your life?
Watching my daughter grow into a beautiful person, both inside and out, has been my greatest joy.
Which talent would you most like to possess?
I wish I could play the piano. I took lessons as a child, but I didn’t maintain the skill as I grew older.
What do you most value in your friends?
My friends are good listeners who allow me to be myself. They accept me at my best and my worst.
Which historical figure do you most identify with?
Abigail Adams. Despite her lack of formal education, she constantly sought out opportunities to learn through reading, observing, and talking to her husband and his political associates. She became one of John Adams’ most trusted advisors during his presidency and is most famous for asking that the Continental Congress consider the rights of women when creating laws for the newly created United States.
What is your greatest regret?
I try not to dwell on the “what if” questions in life. I’m much more focused on working toward a better future.
What tenet do you live by?
The African Proverb: “If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.”
Compiled by Cathy Myers
