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Kenia Nuñez-Leon

@kenianunezleon

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Wife, Mom, Keynote, Disability Ally
26.2 x4🏃🏽‍♀️13.1 x 9
Amazon Best-selling author; Higher Ed Director
Award-winning life skills coach; Col: 3:17🙏🏽

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Happy Mother’s Day! 💜

Photo: @davidraiphotography by @kenianunezleon

Mr. & Mrs. Leon💜 by @kenianunezleon

Always in our hearts. 7th year on this 7th day of you earning your wings. Thank you for loving me when I was unloveable, thank you for teaching me to never settle for less in love, thank you for looking at me like I was the most fascinating and beautiful woman in the world, thank you for teaching me to live fully, to learn about the freedom and struggles of entrepreneurship, thank you for being the most amazing father and leaving such a mark that your children celebrate your memory instead of grieving your loss. Your life and legacy will live on for generations to come. Thank you for being the wind beneath our wings these last 7 years. You can hand over the baton now - and rejoice in peace. I trust one of your final wishes for me and the kids will come to life this year. 🙏🏼 Thank you for hooking that up😉
3/11/74 - 5/7/13 by @kenianunezleon

Chicago was a beast! I survived it…barely. I ran this marathon still recovering for a flu. Not recommended to run a marathon 4 days post flu. I am so grateful for everyone who donated. Because of you and the loved ones I was running in memory and honor of, I found the strength to keep going and refused to give up. The 75 degree weather did not help either. I fought through when all I wanted to do was give up. 2024 NYC, 2025 Berlin and 2026 Chicago. I end this journey with great pride knowing I leave as a 3 star in the Abbott World Marathon Major. If less than 1% of the population complete marathons, a 3 star is a pretty epic achievement. More to follow about this marathon including a special tribute to my daughter who I am so proud of.

Thank you @wil_power for the opportunity to do such epic things in my 50’s! You raised the bar of my life and I am forever grateful. by @kenianunezleon

Last long run before I taper off and prepare for this beast of a challenge. 2 weeks until the Chicago marathon and I have done the best I can. My highest mileage this season was 17. I wanted to make it to 20 but I just didn’t have it in me. It was the best I could do squeezing it in between having a full time demanding job, a part time hustle, being a full time graduate student, a wife, and mom of 5 (everybody got something going on).

What’s going to keep me going is knowing I have to run some of my miles in memory and honor of others.

I had a friend who asked to run mile 19 in memory of her dad. I told her that’s the mile when you want to start giving up. And her words are everything I needed to remind me that is a privilege to run 26.2 miles! She said “When you think about giving up on mile 19 always remember to never give up because that’s what my dad use to tell me. Run for those who can’t”.

Chicago I’m coming for the pizza and the opportunity to wrap up this wonderful marathon journey. My 4th and last. 🙏🏽

I’m still accepting donations for the American Cancer Society. No donation is too small. Link in bio❤️ by @kenianunezleon

Have you ever ran 13 miles on a treadmill? If you have, you’re as crazy as I am. If you haven’t, I don’t recommend! T-3 weeks until the Chicago Marathon.

Link in my bio if you would like to donate to the American Cancer Society. Also, if you have a loved one who has faced cancer and want me to run a mile in their name please let me know. A donation for this cause is appreciated but not required for me to run a mile for your loved one. Thank you for the continued support and good vibes! by @kenianunezleon

Congratulations to my eldest daughter @ontherunwithnatalia for so many reasons. She recently landed a job as an Account Coordinator at a leading global healthcare communications agency - working at their headquarters in the World Trade Center. She also completed her 10 mile Bronx race this morning, and in 3 weeks she will be conquering the Chicago marathon! But more importantly I want to congratulate her for persevering through life by using life’s challenges and transforming them into experiences that make her grow!

She recently posted this video about her dad. In the video he included the kids in shaving his head because he was losing his hair to cancer. He used this opportunity to include the kids in a “fun” process instead of them being scared of the changes to come. He helped us prepare for his transition through his presence, love, and peace in those final days.

We remember to be strong, because we learned from the best🙏🏽❤️

We will both be running the Chicago Marathon representing the American Cancer Society. An honor and privilege to do so! by @kenianunezleon

I was single for 7 years as a widow - and I never imagined I would marry again. But here I am…I’ll be married 6 years to my best friend in December - and I’m still crushing on him every single day because he is truly the most amazing human I know. When he drums, I feel giddy. When I see him in his element as a dad, I feel so grateful that our children can experience a present, loving, funny and kind dad.

There is no special occasion today, I just want to pause to say how blessed I am to have crossed paths with my hubby. I hope that every woman that is looking, waiting and praying, continue to remain hopeful because I never imagined that I would get a second chance at such an extraordinary love. You are Worthy! by @kenianunezleon

In 3 weeks I’ll be running the Chicago marathon. I was suppose to start fundraising a year ago when I signed up, but I didn’t. Why did I wait until 2 weeks before the deadline to start? Because I didn’t feel qualified to do so - and I would never ask anyone to support me unless I’ve proven myself worthy of that support. Due to health reasons and family commitments, training never went according to plan.

Five weeks ago, I laced up and ran my as much as I could and that only brought me to 3 miles - breathless and disappointed I continued to show up. The following week I trained consistently during the week and I achieved 10 miles that weekend. The next weekend? 15 miles!

This past weekend - I hit 17 miles! I have a few more long runs before I face the beast of 26.2 miles. It’s crazy what you can do when you don’t give up on yourself.

Before I wrote this post, I thought of how hard it is to ask for fundraising money, how difficult it is to wake up at 4am to train, when you are mentally and physically drained. But then, I stop the chatter to realize that I get to choose my hard. I get to fundraise and run for the American Cancer Society and for those families facing this monster.

I get to choose my hard! That is a blessing and a privilege.

All funds raised go directly to the American Cancer Society. And if you have a loved one that you want me to run in memory or honor of, please let me know. I am dedicating every mile to different people who have been faced with this challenge. Mile ONE is dedicated to my late husband who passed away from cancer in 2013, and my mom a two time survivor.

This race is bitter sweet. It’s sweet because I am running it with my daughter, and it’s a little sad because it will be my last one. Running long distance and pushing my mind and body to its limit has been the privilege of a lifetime. Thank you to everyone who has followed my on and off running journey that started 10 years ago when I was looking for an outlet to heal from grief.

Link to donate is in my bio and on the QR code in pic.

Thank you in advance for the donations, and/or good vibes! by @kenianunezleon

Join me on a 17 mile run through 3 boroughs - Brooklyn, Queens and Manhattan. Today was extremely hard. At times I wanted to cry, and at times I wanted to stop, but I just kept reminding myself that quitting is not an option because I gave my word and commitment to the American Cancer Society that I would do this. As I struggled, I internally celebrated every mile, and sometimes every half mile.

In four weeks I will be running the Chicago marathon. My daughter, @ontherunwithnatalia is running it too!

I am nervous (for me) because there is a cut off time. Although this is my 4th marathon, it’s like the first time….every time. The body doesn’t remember what it did last year!

My mind is stronger than ever, but my body is asking me to wrap up this marathon journey. I need to run 26.2 miles one more time. Just one more time and I can step away with grace and gratitude from this extraordinary journey. I can do this! 🙏🏽 Good vibes and prayers are appreciated. by @kenianunezleon

I shared my experience of 9/11 on LinkedIn, and I attached a photo me with the Twin Towers in the backdrop; the photo was take on 8/24/01 on my 26th birthday. Someone took it upon himself to kindly sent me color corrected version.

I am so grateful! This photo means so much because it was taken two weeks before 9/11. It is also special because Marlon, my late husband took it of me on his boat. I was pretty annoyed that summer when he bought a boat. “What 26 year old goes out and buys a boat?” His response. “Life is short.” He was right. Glad he bought the boat. ❤️

Third photo: In 2012 Marlon was able to see The Freedom Towers when it was still under construction. 6 months later he passed away. 🙏🏽

Enhanced photo: Abe Barretto by @kenianunezleon

Yesterday was my 7 year anniversary working at Hofstra University!

When I lost my husband to cancer in 2013, I reimagined my life, my career and my purpose. I quit my job as a 20 year career secretary, and became a full time entrepreneur teaching lifeskills and wellness to students, teachers and professionals. By 2018, I was a successful, award-winning entrepreneur, Amazon best-selling author, a paid speaker, but I was exhausted. I prayed for an opportunity to use my skills and talents working for an organization that would value me and help me elevate my family as a single mom. My son had already earned practically a full scholarship to college, but I had no idea how I would put my girls through college. My prayer was answered!

In 2019, I entered a $75,000 healthcare competition that Hofstra was hosting for community entrepreneurs. I didn’t win the prize, because in the midst of competition I won something so much bigger! I was offered a position as the Assistant Dean of Entrepreneurship.

A few years later I became the Director of the Entrepreneurship Assistance Center helping entrepreneurs to start and scale their business- some even became million dollar earners.

In 2024, I made a complete career pivot. Today, I lead Hofstra’s fee-based coaching programs for students, including students with disabilities. The program is so successful that it has a waitlist.

I have been able to put one daughter through college, another is in her senior year, and my youngest daughter is entering her second year at Hofstra. I too am on track to graduating with Master’s in Higher Education Leadership and Policy by May of 2027.

When I speak to my children, teach my students or coach adults, I always emphasize a life lesson that has helped me level up as a human. “Wherever you go, there you are!” In other words, show up with excellence in all you do.

Because one day when you least expect it..it will all make sense!

Excited for the next chapter…because I feel like I just got started in my career. As the young people say…let’s go! 🔥 by @kenianunezleon