Dear RSA Friends,
The past four years have been a blur: Two years of (desperately) preparing for RSA14 in San Antonio followed by two years of working with the amazing RSA Board to move our association forward. While it is hard for me to believe, my time as president has now come to an end. The past four years have been incredible and invigorating (and, at times, a little exhausting). But now as I prepare to settle into my “past-presidential” rocking chair, I look back over the past four years with pride and with admiration for the many individuals who have worked so hard for RSA.
There are far too many accomplishments and far too many individuals responsible for those accomplishments to name individually. So, let me just say a broad and honest thank you. Thanks to all the RSA Board Members, to the Officers, to our many Committee Members and Chairs, to our Executive Director, to the always incredible Kathie Cesa. I also want to thank all our members – for sharing their work, for sharing their talent, for sharing their praise (and even their criticisms). Together, we have transformed RSA. We have made our association bigger, more welcoming, and more engaged.
Growth and success, of course, are not without their own difficulties. As we become more engaged, the work becomes more difficult. As we become larger, our efforts to feel friendly and welcoming become harder. As we move forward, RSA faces the challenge of becoming bigger and, in a sense, more professional; the challenge of giving clear value to all our members on a regular basis. But, at the same time, we must avoid becoming too professional, too disconnected from our members, too formal.
Fortunately, we are in good hands. The RSA Board is one of the most amazing group of individuals I have ever had the pleasure of working with. And, our incoming President is probably the most experienced in the history of RSA (vastly more experienced and competent than yours truly!!). Greg Clark has already served RSA as Editor of RSQ and as Executive Director and now brings that experience to the important role of President. I look forward to continuing to work with him.
As RSA looks forward to its 50th Anniversary in 2018, we have much to be proud of. We also have much work to do.
Best,
Kendall