A Letter from the Chair

Serving the Organization and Planning for the Future

When I was recently elected Chair of the Association for Women in Communications National Board of Directors, I was humbled but simultaneously reflected on the motto of AARP where I worked as Director of Communications: “To Serve, Not to Be Served.”

During my tenure in this position, that motto will resonate with everything I do for you, our members, and for the organization. During the bi-annual conference when the full board met face-to-face, I took copious notes on our discussions. Those notes were added to ideas I had jotted down over the last couple of months.

Plans for Growth

Last year, not only did I serve as Vice Chair, I also served as the Membership Committee Co-Chair with board member Yvonne Limon. During that time, four start-up professional chapters are now in progress: Lehigh Valley, Pennsylvania; Washington, DC; Las Vegas, Nevada; and Morgantown, West Virginia. My hope is to see that these start-ups become established  professional chapters during the fiscal year. All start-ups have enthusiastic leaders and they are planning recruitment programs in their areas.

With the capable support of the new Membership Committee team led by Mitzie Zerr, I am positive that our numbers will swell – and that our outreach to other areas will continue.

Relationship Building

It has always been my firm belief that no organization can go it alone. That means I will pro-actively build relationships with other communications organizations and other entities that are a “fit” with our organization mission and strategic plan. 

I have already reached out to organization leaders where I currently have memberships: Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) and Women of Color in Communications. I have also made contact with the International Association of Business Communicators (IABC) and National Federation of Press Women (NFPW). If you think that here are other entities that could be beneficial to our mission, don’t hesitate to let me know.

New for a 110-year-old organization

Over the past months, I have been researching and developing AWC’s first ever Code of Ethics and Code of Conduct.  These documents were not written in a vacuum – counsel was sought  from other national communications organizations and consultants. I can now report that during the last AWC board of directors meeting, both documents were approved. All members are encouraged to read and sign their pledge to abide by both the ethics and conduct codes.

What the future will/can hold

Beginning in November, I will be holding “Office Hours” on a designated day each month and at specific times when any member can call in to chat, share ideas, seek information, ask questions. A conference call number will be shared with everyone. I may not be able to respond to each question, suggestion or comment, but I will follow-up and provide any assistance necessary.

We don’t have an organization media kit – or “For Media Only” on our website. Wouldn’t it be grand if there was a general media kit that chapters can use locally? It would also be a vehicle for the media to tap into our news and events so that we can tell our story? This information could be especially useful for chapters that are staging special events and activities.

Would it be valuable for chapter officers to have guides for each position? What are the true responsibilities of a president? How does the secretary record and disseminate information to members? Is the treasurer capturing the correct information and has the tools necessary to create financial information? These guides may be especially helpful for novice board members.

Chapters can participate in the Star Awards – but what about Independent members? Plans are afoot to create the criteria for an Independent Member Star Award (thanks Mitzie Zerr and LaDonna Greiner for spearheading this project).

Quarterly member calls will continue. Notifications will be sent out via email in advance of the calls staged. Please check your member profiles: if you have OPTED OUT from receiving AWC member emails, you will never know what we are doing or staging.

Monthly chapter leader calls will also continue. Communications is key to sharing information, best practices, airing grievances, seeking advice and requesting services. All chapter leaders are encouraged to participate.

Affinity relationships are growing! Over the past year, I have been responding to and researching affinity perks for our members: discounts on UPS services, Lenov0 computers, pet health insurance, college financial education for parents/guardians, and professional development consultation. During the recent board of directors meeting, the programs were approved, so watch for announcements as these new relationships are in finalized. More opportunities for our members are also being sought in addition to what is already offered.

As I settle into this new adventure as your chair, watch for more! Don’t hesitate to contact me either via telephone at 816.822.0588 (landline) or email: [email protected].

I look forward to serving you and our organization – and planning for the future. Remember: this is a team effort and each of us is important for the success of AWC.

About the Author