January 6, 2021
Happy New Year SRI Community!
We want you to know we miss you all and can’t wait to see you in person when it is safe! Until then we hope that you, your friends, and colleagues will take advantage of all that SRI has to offer in the virtual world. You have already read about the accomplishments and offerings of this organization from our Executive Director, Dr. Deirdre Williams. The field needs SRI’s work now more than ever and those who worked with us this year were stronger for it. The participation of those new to SRI and those who have benefitted for many years is crucial to SRI’s stability so that we can keep providing the professional development and personal experiences you need to do your best work.
SRI is also growing organizationally. There are many facets to board work, and as SRI moves into its 12th year, the Board’s role is to steward the organization and maintain its overall health – no easy task in the past year. We would like to share some of the ways that SRI has developed as an organization and is moving forward with a fierce commitment to educational equity and excellence.
- We have been meeting 2-8 times a month as a whole group and/or in committees to respond to the challenges of COVID and organizational development in general. We currently have 3 committees: Finance and Advancement, Organizational Development & Governance, and Annual Meeting.
- We secured pro bono support from an excellent law firm, Nelson Mullins in Boston, who are helping us with bylaws development, and personnel and fiscal processes.
- We have been attending non-profit trainings and reading non-profit materials.
- We have been doing our own board and group development with a facilitator.
- We are working on revising the organizational bylaws so they work better for the organization and are developing a board handbook.
- We received a resignation from our board member, Beth Graham. We have decided to wait to fill the position until we have concluded more work on the bylaws and handbook, including bylaws regarding board elections and resignations.
- We are becoming more clear on organizational finance. We are developing a financial strategy for the organization, creating a fiscal dashboard, and instituted a paid affiliate membership. We have been tackling difficult issues of organizational debt and stability.
- 2020 was a challenging year under the pandemic. The board is currently guided by Niya Randall, our Board Chair, and there were some significant changes. We elected a treasurer, Brian Sparks, in March and have a new secretary, Angela Breidenstein, starting in January when Lauren Levine’s term ended and for whose service we are appreciative. Our former board chair, Pat Norman, ended her service of an additional year as former board chair in December, and we thank her for her remarkable service and leadership to SRI.
We continue to collaborate with our Executive Director, who has developed a wonderful slate of professional development opportunities. In the year to come, our hope is to see even more engagement in these workshops, webinars, and institutes. We also know that many of you are brilliant facilitators. How can you share your skills with those who need them most? Please join Dr. Williams as a presenter or planner, including joining Dr. Williams and board members at 4 pm EST / 3 CST on January 25 (contact Dr. Williams if interested) us to plan for our upcoming summer virtual meeting in June 2021. Help us expand our reach. And, if you haven’t affiliated and become a member – do so now. If you are able to contribute beyond the membership fee, please consider doing that as well! 100% of the board has contributed financially through membership and donations, please join us in supporting SRI.
Thank you,
DJ Alexander, Angela Breidenstein, Aaron Goodson, Lisa Kuh, Lauren Levine, Niya Randall, Brian Sparks, and Deirdre Williams
SRI Board
