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Naomi Cramer Overton became the second President of MOPS International, Inc. on June 1, 2007.

Naomi is the right person to lead the organization for this generation's mothers of preschoolers. Her passion is to support MOPS in building on what the organization does best (connecting moms and providing excellent resources), while continually learning how to take that even further.

BTW: Elisa Morgan will continue working as the CEO of MOPS, providing overall vision and strategy for the organization.

MOMSense Editor Mary Darr spent some time getting to know Naomi as a mom, a woman and a leader.

Describe your role as President of MOPS International.
MOPS International is an organization fueled by people who are champions of MOPS moms—people who feel passionate about encouraging, equipping and developing mothers of preschoolers to be the best moms and leaders they can be. I see my role as a torchbearer for that passion among a lot of people who are running the race with me. By relying on God for wisdom, we'll continue building bridges to reach more mothers of preschoolers in more places, while strengthening the moms we already reach to be a positive influence in their families, communities and world.

What do you hope to accomplish during your first year at MOPS?
It's so important to stay true to MOPS' roots—our faith and the moms, leaders, volunteers and staff who have made MOPS great. So we'll focus on three initiatives:

• Helping MOPS moms and leaders to become raving fans by improving what we offer.

• Charting a path to reach more moms by listening to and learning from moms and assessing cultural shifts.

• Supporting how MOPS is building a lifelong touch on a woman's life beyond the preschool years, as moms live out their influence.

How many children do you have?
I have three kids on earth and one in heaven: Tyler (14), Delaney (11) and Katriel (8). Katriel's twin, Natalie Joy, died before birth.

Where were you born and raised? Any brothers or sisters?
I was born and raised in San Diego, California. My family has lived in San Diego since the 1890s; I'm the fourth generation. My kids were born in the same hospital as I was. I'm the youngest of five brothers and one sister. Four of my brothers are close to me in age, so I was raised with a pack of boys. But I'm really close to my sister; she was like a second mom to me but was in college by the time I was 7 years old.

When were you married? What's your husband's occupation?
I was married the day after I graduated from college in 1985. I met my husband, Frank, during my freshman year. It took forever, but we finally started dating. I was planning to join the Peace Corps or study public policy and media after I graduated. But Frank asked me to marry him, and after thinking and praying about it, I said, "Yes!" I decided we could live our lives and do our growing together.

Frank is trained as an engineer, but he's always worked with youth. For the last eight years, he's worked full-time with inner city youth. We decided even before we had kids that we would share a maximum of 1 1/2 jobs between us, and we've flexed back and forth in who does what. Since we've moved to Denver, he's managing our family, and I love watching the great and different things he brings to that.

Did you attend a MOPS group when your kids were preschoolers?
In 2001, I walked into a MOPS group and was greeted so warmly and was led to a table with women who had kids the age of my youngest daughter. The consistent caring of these women greatly impacted my life. They accepted and loved me from day one. My Discussion Group Leader gave me a tiny bottle of bath gel. Whenever I used it, I thought about her. And the fragrance reminded me of this group of moms who really supported me during a challenging time with my kids. My group also asked me to speak about some of my experiences. It was the first time I had taken my business-speaking background and applied it to a personal topic. My eyes were opened to the whole arena of sharing from my heart and offering something of value.

What career accomplishment do you feel most passionate about?
I have 15 years of experience in media, marketing, communications and organizational development with Fortune 50, nonprofit and government organizations. One of the most rewarding experiences I've had was working in Southern California at UCLA with the Department of Health and Human Services and Johnson & Johnson. I was on the ground level designing a management training program for Head Start regional managers over a two-year period. I worked with people I admire who are reaching preschool-age kids, even homeless children, in the neediest communities. They're providing assistance for them in health, education and family issues.

Who influenced you the most growing up?
My mom! She set an example of mothering that made me fall in love with the preschool years. She did the most creative, meaningful activities with us. She took us on field trips. She helped us learn to read at a very early age. By the time we were in school, she had helped us grow in confidence. She set up her house differently according to the season of the year so there would be great learning activities. She modeled a life of faith in the midst of whatever challenges she faced with seven children. It was clear she went to God each day for her strength and her joy.

What's your best memory as a child?
There was a great big tree several houses down from mine that just cried out to be climbed. As the youngest of seven I cherished any one-on-one time I could get with my mom. One day she suggested we have a picnic. So we made peanut butter and honey sandwiches—my favorite. We walked down to that big tree and climbed up on a branch. We sat there and talked and ate our sandwiches, and all was good with the world.

A special memory I have with my dad is when he would sing and pray with me at bedtime. We had the best conversations, but he'd often fall asleep, exhausted from seven kids. He sang those favorite songs with me that I now sing with my kids. What do you do for fun and relaxation? We make a lot of music at our house. I also love gardening, but the reality is that I only have a few houseplants near my sink. I really enjoy creative projects with my kids such as cooking, and I love learning and taking trips to the museums. I journal, and I used to sing with a worship rock band that had all guys but me. I exercise a lot and love to climb mountains. And I read and genuinely enjoy reading with my kids—even with our 14-year-old. It's still one of our favorite things to do together.

What's one of the hardest things you've had to do as a mom?
It's hanging in there when I had looked forward to closeness with my child, but instead ended up in a power struggle or had to endure a tantrum. There are times that my kids have emotions that are bigger than they are and, while we come through those times and keep growing, it's painful. It feels like the fabric has torn in the relationship for awhile.

What do you love about being a mom?
It's an honor to be a mom. The reflection our kids see from us will largely shape who they'll see themselves as into the future. Being a mom humbles me and teaches me tons. I went into motherhood thinking I was going to be Supermom and that my measure of success was how well my kids turned out. But now I see my job as staying connected to God spiritually, "to glorify God and enjoy him forever" (from the Westminster Catechism, a timeless church liturgy). Then I can love my husband and love Tyler, Delaney and Katriel, and I have more fun with them. That way, I also can see their unique designs and celebrate those, just as I want to do. The hardships in motherhood, such as miscarriages and developmental delays, have taught me the most—that each child is amazing—and to champion them. That's been great preparation for coming to MOPS.

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