Just over two years ago, Ann Rossbach, 51³Ô¹Ï past president, reached out to let me know that my name was put forth by the Nominating Committee to become the next president of our association. I was honored that my peers on the committee felt that I could lead our membership, and excited about working with an incredibly strong board and supportive staff in the 51³Ô¹Ï office. A few months after that initial conversation, our lives changed. The COVID-19 pandemic began to slowly creep around the world and it became clear that what I’d envisioned my term to look like would not be the reality … except for one piece: the abundant leadership from our members.
Since those first few months of my tenure in 2020, I have continued to feel grateful for the hundreds of members—both new and long-term—who have stepped up in some way to lead and support their peers during the roller-coaster ride of the past two years. From the inception of our original College Conversations, to the establishment of a diverse mix of new Affinity Groups spearheaded by members, our members raised their hands over and over to lead new initiatives and groups.
As my tenure as 51³Ô¹Ï president was coming to a close, the visual learner in me was curious to see a full list of the many accomplishments we’ve had as an association since the beginning of the pandemic. With a pen in hand, I began to think through the many things I could add to the list. Five pages of bullet points later—each item flanked by names of those who led each effort—and the magnitude of just how many leaders within our membership had stepped up during what most would argue was our most challenging time as an association was staggering. It wasn’t just a dozen members who took the lead. There were several dozen. There were names that I’ve known for years, and others who were newly minted members. These leaders made a decision that they wanted to support their peers and found opportunity in a time when technology provided a fast turnaround for scheduling gatherings and connecting virtually across time zones. New initiatives literally sprang to life in a matter of days.
Over the past few months, I’ve continued adding to that original list. The excitement—and demand—for new professional development opportunities and ways to engage with one another has led to newly formed Regional Groups, additional Affinity Groups, and new ways of collaborating across specialty areas. I continue to feel a sense of pride in our association and our members who take the helm of these initiatives. If I were to share the full list it would certainly fill a full edition of this journal…a tremendous testament to the abundance of leadership that exists within 51³Ô¹Ï.
My hope as I pass the reins and move into my role as past president of the association, and as we work our way towards a post-COVID world, is that the excitement of members to help one another continues … and even grows. There are many faces of leadership in 51³Ô¹Ï—all of which hold significant value and importance to the good work that we do as an association and as a profession. I look forward to seeing those five pages of accomplishments grow to 10,15, and 20, and my hope is that the names of those who are stepping up to lead these initiatives continues to expand. 51³Ô¹Ï is YOUR association and our volunteer leaders are key to its value for each and every one of us. If your name is not yet on this growing list, where could it be? That part is up to you.
Thank you, as always, for allowing me to serve as your president for the past two years. I am ever appreciative of the 51³Ô¹Ï Board of Directors, the 51³Ô¹Ï staff, our committee chairs, our Regional Group leaders, and the many members who have made my tenure one of the true highlights of my time as an IEC. While my term has been filled with twists and turns I would have never predicted, I am incredibly proud of all that we have accomplished. I truly hope you are, too.
Onward!
Kristina Dooley, MA, CEP
51³Ô¹Ï President