kathleen tullie

Kathleen Tullie DIRECTOR OF SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY REEBOK INTERNATIONAL FOUNDER & EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR BOKS (BUILD OUR KIDS’ SUCCESS) ALTERNATE VERSION: BOKS (Build Our Kids’ Success), which began as a small idea presented to a few moms in Natick, MA, has since grown to more than 1,300 schools! Parents, teachers, and communities all over the world have adopted BOKS, affecting the lives of hundreds of thousands of children on a day-to-day basis. Kathleen Tullie, Director of Social Responsibility at Reebok International and the Founder and Executive Director of BOKS, began BOKS in 2009. A free before school physical activity program for kids, she believes that physical activity for children is absolutely necessary; that the lives of our children can be made happier, healthier and even more successful by promoting the importance of movement and nutrition. Prior to founding the BOKS program, Kathleen accomplished an 18-year career in real estate finance. After a downturn in the real estate market and a medical scare she realized even more, the importance of spending time with her kids and making a difference in the world. After coming across Dr. John Ratey’s book Spark, which talks about the positive difference that physical activity has on all of us, she had her ‘aha’ moment. Our nation is failing academically and soon obesity will be the leading cause of death. With this knowledge, Kathleen took her chance. Dr. Ratey’s book coupled with her determination drove Kathleen to empower parents to provide an opportunity for kids to be physical active before school. BOKS was born. What Kathleen calls ‘word of mom’ has been the driving force of the BOKS program, empowering parents and teachers across the globe to become trainers in their own communities making an everlasting impact on the healthy future of our kids. And the program is still growing by leaps and bounds. Major accomplishments since creating the BOKS program include partnering with the Partnership for Healthier America, Alliance for a Healthier Generation and being honored by First Lady Michelle Obama’s “Let’s Move” initiative at the 2013 and 2014 Partnership for a Healthier America conference in Washington, D.C. Kathleen is a member of the Institute of Medicine Roundtable on Obesity Solutions and serves on the Physical Activity Innovation Collaborative. Kathleen has also been featured in numerous publications. A graduate of Western Michigan University (BA) and The University of Edinburgh, Scotland (MBA) Kathleen has spent her career in Japan, Scotland and the US and currently lives outside of Boston, MA with her husband, two kids and Bella (golden retriever).