The agenda for every NABE Board meeting for the last year has included some topic of Strategic Planning. With guidance and inspiration from last year’s president, Betty Braden, and Elizabeth Derrico, Associate Director, ABA Division for Bar Services, a plan has been developed and approved.
The Strategic Plan will be explained more thoroughly in this issue of Bar Executive so I won’t go into great detail about it but I would like to highlight a few areas and thoughts.
The greatest challenge for any NABE program is how to accomplish it with the limitations imposed by our geographical locations and our infrequent meetings. The two annual meetings produced by the Program Committee always amaze me with their quality and attention to detail, as the majority of the planning is done with an average of four, maybe five face-to-face meetings. All other details are handled via phone and individual responsibility.
To accomplish the Vision approved by the Board — "In three years NABE is a diverse, inclusive organization that is meeting the professional development and quality of life needs of its members and empowering them to play leadership roles both within their organizations and in the broader community." -every member will need to participate.
How can you help? The most important is to volunteer — to serve on committees, to help with programs, to submit ideas to the Board and to the Program Committee. What are your suggestions for adding diversity to our organization? In what way are we being exclusive and how can we correct it? If you are unable to attend the NABE meetings, what would be the easiest, most convenient method for getting information from the meeting programs to you? Our website, www.nabenet.org, will be able to accomplish some of this and the Website/Knowledge Management Committee, chaired this year by Joyce Hastings, is working with staff at Bar Services to drastically improve the site and the information offered on it.
Tom Tinder will take office as president at the meeting in Washington, D.C. this August. E-mail Tom at tindert@wvbar.org to give him your ideas and suggestions. After the gavel is handed over to Tom, I hope to be able to continue my involvement with NABE in several ways and hope you will join me. This has been a fast, busy and different year. I always look forward to new years, new beginnings. See you in D.C.