Linda MacDonald Glenn: Ethics, Empathy, and the Power of Kindness

Linda MacDonald Glenn’s journey from law to bioethics was shaped by personal tragedy and a steadfast belief in kindness as a guiding principle. Our conversation explored how the most difficult experiences can lead to the most purposeful work—and how ethics, when rooted in compassion, can support human flourishing.

Linda began her legal career in Rhode Island, practicing both civil litigation and criminal law as part of the Attorney General’s Office. After the death of her first husband from leukemia in the 1980s, she became deeply aware of the limitations of institutional care and the barriers families face in end-of-life decisions. That experience left a lasting impact. Years later, she supported a family in a similar situation, leading to Gray v. Romeo, a landmark case in end-of-life decision-making in Rhode Island. She described that case as “redemptive,” a turning point in realizing her true calling.

After years in law, Linda returned to school and earned a degree in bioethics from McGill University. She completed a fellowship at the American Medical Association and has since built a career at the intersection of law, ethics, and education. Today, she is the faculty and founding director of the Center for Applied Values and Ethics in Advancing Technologies at Crown College, University of California, Santa Cruz. She also consults on topics ranging from artificial intelligence to regenerative medicine. Across disciplines, her goal is clear: to foster ethical awareness, critical thinking, and a culture of care.

To Linda, kindness is essential, not optional. “Without kindness, it’s not creation—it’s destruction,” she said. She believes kindness uplifts others, empowers innovation, and helps individuals grow. “We are all works in progress. The only time you truly fail is when you give up,” she added. That perspective, rooted in resilience and growth, shapes both her teaching and leadership philosophy.

Linda also brings a cultural and regional perspective to kindness in leadership. After decades on the East Coast, she found her move to California to be transformative. “People said ‘how are you’—and meant it,” she said. In academia, she encountered collaboration and support from colleagues who valued her experience. “They didn’t say, ‘what’s in it for me?’ They said, ‘you have value to share.’”

Near the close of our conversation, she reflected on what truly matters. She hopes to be someone who helped others live meaningful, flourishing lives—and taught compassion and ethics by example. Her approach to relationships, whether in law, ethics, teaching, or life, is built on three core values: respect, kindness, and truthfulness.

“Kindness is compassion in action.”

Linda MacDonald Glenn is a bioethicist, educator, and advocate for responsible innovation. Her story reminds us that ethical leadership begins with kindness—and that growth, no matter when or how it begins, is always possible.