Brittany Foster Finds Her Niche With Heinz College Wellness Committee

Brittany Foster sped into the working world straight out of high school. She worked multiple jobs while taking classes toward an undergraduate degree and eventually landed a high-stress role as a substance abuse counselor.

“I was doing a lot and growing up a little faster than I probably should have been,” Foster said. “I was really searching, trying to ground myself and better myself. I was definitely a person who needed mindfulness.”

Mental health techniques such as mindfulness helped Foster endure and overcome that choppy period in her life. Ten years later, she is helping her coworkers at Carnegie Mellon improve their mental and physical well-being.

A CMU employee since 2019, Foster is the senior academic coordinator supporting programs under the School of Information Systems and Management at Heinz College. She also is chair of the college’s Wellness Committee, which was founded in 2022 to develop and execute wellness programs for staff, faculty and students.

“I’ve always been good at supporting others and helping people on their path,” Foster said. “The beautiful thing about the Wellness Committee is I've been able to implement my personal passion into the work day and share things that I know are beneficial.”

“Brittany has done a beautiful job marrying her personal investment in wellness practices with how she supports students,” said Angela Lusk, director of wellness and meaning-making programs at CMU. “She is bringing needed space and reflection to moments and programs where it enhances the individual and collective experience.”

When students, faculty and staff returned to campus after the pandemic, the committee set up Wellness Wednesdays — lunchtime workshops led by yoga instructors, Reiki practitioners and others. 

Each spring, the committee holds a wellness retreat in the Hamburg Hall rotunda. It’s a sort of one-stop shop for faculty and staff to become familiar with holistic practices, with stations set up to offer chair massages, manicures, eye masks and meditation.

Two years ago, Foster helped organize a culinary field trip in partnership with the Bidwell Training Center. It was an off-site, after-hours adventure for the Heinz College staff, who learned how to whip up a gourmet meal from scratch — a tasty way to boost camaraderie.

The third annual Heinz College step challenge for staff and faculty will take place this June. Last year, 13 teams — including the Walkaholics, Pedagogy Powerhouse, Holy Walkacamole and the Heinz Hotsteppers (that was Foster’s bunch) — logged their strolls, hikes and jogs on and off campus in what’s literally a healthy competition for prizes and bragging rights. 

Aiming to encourage more community days of service, the committee’s next project will be developing resources to enable staff to more easily connect with each other and the greater Pittsburgh community through volunteer efforts.

Taking the initiative on so many projects at Heinz College earned Foster an Andy Award nomination last year. “Working on the Wellness Committee is separate from my main job, of course, so I'm taking on a little bit extra,” Foster siad. “But it never feels like too much because I deeply care about it.” 

For some people, mindfulness is just a buzzword because they’re not really sure what it is. Foster explains that mindfulness is a simple yet powerful tool that can be practiced almost anywhere and anytime.

“Brushing your teeth could be a mindful habit, as long as you slow down and connect the action with your mind,” she said. “The next time you walk from your office to your car, take time to notice all the colors you see and the sounds you hear. It’s really about slowing down and allowing that mind-body connection.”

Foster has made mindfulness a part of her everyday life, beginning the minute her morning alarm goes off. “When I wake up, I just take a moment to be grateful for the things that happened yesterday and for being able to conquer another day,” she said.

Her interest in mindfulness led Foster to explore breathing techniques to reduce stress and anxiety. She recently discovered Reiki, a Japanese healing technique for relaxation and overall well-being. It involves using the hands to support and guide the healing energy that flows through every being.

Foster is a Reiki Level 2 practitioner, an advanced status that means she can practice Raiki on others and practice distance healing. She also is able to volunteer to perform it on patients at hospitals and hospice centers.

“I think I found my niche,” Foster said. 

This past March, Foster provided five-minute Reiki sessions at the Spring Refresh event hosted by the Wellness and Meaning-Making Programs office. “Brittany offered her services well into the evening hours due to the demand and interest from students,” Lusk said.

Foster plans to expand her Reiki offerings across campus while continuing her work with the Heinz College Wellness Committee. She’s gained tangible benefits from practicing mindfulness over the years and is eager to share that with others.

“I've always been growth-oriented,” Foster said. “When I was doing drug and alcohol counseling, it was like, ‘How can I best support you? How can we break this down so you also can grow and advance?’ Often, it might not feel like we have a lot of control in our lives, but the work that I'm doing is giving that control back to people.”