“Women of Excellence Gala 2015”
Vicki Richards Upchurch was honored September 12, 2015 at the Women of Excellence Gala held at The Norris Center, Houston, TX. She represented the Council of Businesswomen.
This honoree awards gala is conducted annually by the Federation of Houston Professional Women (FHPW). FHPW has served as a unifying organization for Houston area organizations for more than 30 years. A 501(C)(6) nonprofit organization, FHPW exists to advance the educational and professional development of women’s organizations and their members, as well as to promote networking opportunities amongst members. View 2015 honorees here.
Vicki is the owner of Lifestyle Choices where she does coaching with compassion. Her coaching consists of:
- Health and Wellness
- Personal Development
- Management and Sales Development
- Stress Reduction and Management utilizing HeartMath®
She is an RN, licensed HeartMath® coach, and certified master life coach. Vicki excels in one-on-one coaching with both men and women but also specializes in workshops, women’s retreats and women’s small group classes.
Lifestyle Choices was originally created because Vicki had become disillusioned with results from our healthcare delivery system which is focused on disease states. She felt she could educate people to have better health holistically coming from her educated healthcare background but also from her spiritual development in which she is accepting of all religious faiths. Because stress contributes to 75-90% of all doctor’s office visits [ NIH (National Institute of Health), APA (American Psychology Association), Web MD, Dr. Weil], HeartMath® was a natural fit having been scientifically researched for more than 20 years.
Vicki’s experience includes starting a medical staffing agency, nursing in mental health, oncology, and home health as well as management, sales, and sales management for several large national home infusion companies. She completed her B.S. in Nursing from Lamar University in Beaumont, TX and is a member of Sigma Theta Tau, the international honor society for nurses. She has been both the number one sales representative and the number one Regional Vice-President of Sales for national infusion companies as well as a member of the prestigious President’s Club for several years due to top sales in the country. She also was the Turnaround Branch Manager of the Year in Houston for a national company.
Her community involvement has included being President and Vice-President for the Houston Area Continuity of Care Association and even served on the national board. For years she was active in various HIV AIDs organizations in Houston but most recently served on the board for the Bay Area Club for almost 10 years. This organization has a facility for 12-step program meetings for Al-Anon, AA, NA, Overeaters Anonymous, and Alateen. Vicki also facilitated a Co-Dependents Anonymous group, volunteered with the Friends of Bay Area Turning Point as well as answered the crisis hot-line for Bay Area Turning Point. Currently she is active in:
- Council of Business Women
- Federation of Houston Professional Women
- Association of Professional Women- Houston where she co-chairs the Program Committee
- Bay Area Network Group
- Professional Women’s Breakfast Club
Family:
Vicki has been married seven years to her wonderful husband, Andy, who is both a musician and writer. Andy’s band, Andy and The Dreamsicles, is a popular group which plays classic rock and country legend and has written The Oleanders of San Leonand In Search of the Perfect Masala.
They have two sons, Chad and Will Richards. Chad is a graduate of the Culinary School at the Art Institute of Houston and is a chef at Whole Foods in Houston. He has a daughter, Chloe. Will graduated magna cum laude from the University of Houston and owns Big Media House which is a production company to meet all forms of media needs. He is married to Samantha who is a farmer and they own Celestine Gardens. This farm, located near Houston, is where Samantha grows produce using both permaculture and aquaponics systems to grow her organic crops.
FHPW Educational Foundation:
The FHPW Educational Foundation, a 502(c)(3) nonprofit organization, has given $300,000 in scholarships and educational grants to women and young girls in the Houston Metro Area. FHPW Members are business and professional organizations whose memberships are majority female and whose goals include the advancement of women in business and support women’s interests. Each year, members select a woman from their organization as a Woman of Excellence to be honored at the FHPW Gala.