Professor Linda B. Meeks

Professor Linda B. Meeks

Prof. Linda Meeks is Co-CEO and president of Meeks Heit Associates, a company engaged in consulting, keynote speaking, training and producing high-quality written, electronic and recorded materials whose purpose is to educate and motivate people of all ages to take responsibility for their wellness.  She also is an Associate Professor Emeritus in The Ohio State University College of Education and Human Ecology.  While teaching at The OSU, she held a joint appointment in the College of Medicine.  Prof. Meeks is published in six languages and has provided teacher training throughout the United States as well as in Egypt, Jordan, Greece, England, Germany, Spain, Bermuda, Puerto Rico, Canada and the Virgin Islands.  She has testified before the Congressional committee that examined ways to reduce the risk of school violence after the Columbine incident and participated in an international press conference on what and how to teach middle and high school students about HIV/AIDS.

Prof. Meeks has had a prolific career as an author of textbooks for grades PreK through college.  With Dr. Heit, her business partner for more than forty years, she has co-authored more than 350 books used by millions of students throughout the world.  Prof. Meeks and Dr. Heit also have produced multimedia programs which garnered three Telly and two Axiem Awards.  As co-authors, they wrote for numerous publishers before founding Meeks Heit Publishing Company in 1991.  Meeks Heit Publishing grew rapidly and in 1999, the company was sold to the Tribune Company.  Subsequently, their company was sold to the McGraw-Hill Companies.  Today, Prof. Meeks and Dr. Heit consult with and advise those developing new product.

Prof. Meeks earned a B.Ed. from the University of Toledo and an M.S. from the University of Wisconsin.  She is a fellow in the Association for the Advancement of Health Education.  In 2010, Prof. Meeks was one of forty women profiled in the 2010-2011 Columbus Area Edition of The Women’s Book.  Prof. Meeks is passionate about The Ohio State University and its mission and is a member of The OSU Presidents’ Club.  Prof. Meeks and her husband, Tom Welker, were founders of the Brutus Buckeye Ambassadors which endow the Brutus Buckeye and support the many programs in which Brutus engages - servant leadership, scholarship and student life.  In 2015, the 50th anniversary of Brutus, Prof. Meeks was the recipient of the Golden Brutus Award and with her grandson, Oliver Meeks Langan, and past Brutii helped to blow out the birthday candles for Brutus on the 50 yard line.  Prof. Meeks demonstrated her deep respect and gratitude for our military by being involved in the establishment of the OSU Military Veterans House.

Being committed to the success of women who own their own businesses, Prof. Meeks is a member of the International Women Presidents’ Organization, served as a Director on its Board of Directors for three terms, and was the first recipient of its President’s Award for service to the organization.  In 2012, she received the Empowered Woman Award from the Ohio Chapter of the WPO as well as a Proclamation from Governor John Kasich and a Proclamation from U.S. House Representative Pat Tiberi for her efforts as a businesswoman in Ohio.  Prof. Meeks also was one of the founders of the Women Presidents’ Organization Foundation.  Having a keen interest in global issues, Prof. Meeks was a member of the Ohio Chapter of the International Women’s Forum when she resided in Ohio and a supporter in the Presidents’ Circle of its Leadership Foundation.

Today, Prof. Meeks resides in Pacific Palisades, California and is married to Tom Welker.  Linda and Tom enjoy their blended family - Kristen Meeks Langan, her husband Jay, and their children Oliver and Reed; Kelly Welker Basham, her husband Robert and their children Kate and Lauren; and Christopher Welker.  Linda and Tom are avid cyclists and golfers. Linda was on the Host Committee for the Walker Cup; and Tom has served as a Vice Chairman of the Memorial Tournament at the Muirfield Village Golf Club for more than 20 years. Tom’s role has been to host the honorees and their families for the week, a responsibility he has enjoyed doing in recent years with Linda. Tom also was honored to be named the 40th Captain of the Memorial Tournament.