If you ever have the opportunity to chat with Robin Killeen, right off the bat you would notice there is something different about her, something quite special. Her passion for life is genuine, her commitment to community is reputable, her care for people is authentic, and above all else, her faith is her guiding compass.
Killeen is the founder of W.O.W, which stands for Women of Wisdom. It was established on the Gulf Coast in 1999 as a “Christian marketplace ministry” with a 3C mission: connect, create, cultivate.
“W.O.W. is all about divine relationships: to pray for each other’s needs; build trust, unity and lasting friendships among women from all denominations and backgrounds; to encourage each other; to make a difference in our families, communities, workplaces and in our state through prayer and network,” Killeen says. “We are celebrating 17 years of marketplace ministry!”
On the second Wednesday of every month, the group meets at Lyman Community Center in Gulfport from noon to 1 p.m. for an inspirational time designed to “encourage, energize and empower women through an atmosphere of love and connectivity.” There is no fee to join W.O.W., but a $10 all-inclusive catered lunch is available at the meeting.
Relationships are important to Killeen, and the principle found in Ecclesiastes 9 — two are better than one — impacted her greatly and became one of the cornerstones of the ministry.
“On my life journey, I always felt as if I was different and somewhat a misfit struggling to fit in and find my place,” Killeen says. “After receiving Christ July 4, 1993, I started realizing the importance of relationships. Fast forward to 1998 when I was at a Joyce Meyer ladies’ convention in St. Louis, Mo., and had a dream to bring women together from all backgrounds and all denominations for divine relationships. God revealed the place for the meetings and the people to help get it started. I truly did not jump at this idea. I felt inadequate, but God kept prodding me, allowing me to see how much I, as well as other women, need divine fellowship.”
Long story short, the plan, people and place all came together and the first W.O.W. meeting was held the following year.
“I am fueled by genuine love for people from all walks of life,” Killeen says. “I believe this came from never quite fitting in anywhere, and wanted to prevent anyone else from ever feeling the same way. Our tagline for W.O.W. is ‘Connect with us; you will fit right in!’ ”
This same mentality and belief in “servant leadership” greatly benefited Killeen’s profession as well. As a regional manager in the staffing industry for 24 years, her responsibility was to cultivate and maintain good relations within the community. This opened many doors to serve various organizations and events, which only further enriched her genuine compassion for people.
March of Dimes, American Cancer Society and the Society for Human Resource Management are a handful of organizations Killeen has been involved in. Since 1989, she also has been a part of the Biloxi Bay Chamber of Commerce and has served in a various positions from ambassador to president.
Three years ago, she embraced a change of pace professionally and left the staffing world to pursue an adventure with her daughter where they flip houses by transforming neglected homes to make it a gem again for a new family.
This also gave Killeen more time to invest in W.O.W. and offshoots of the ministry, including “Fit for the King” — an informal, emotional support team for women with the similar goals of living a healthy lifestyle.
Robin Killeen, front center, with members of W.O.W.
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