Today we bring another special “farewell edition” Inside the Board, this one with Leah Guren. Leah’s term on the Board of Directors ends with the Summit in May and we asked her some questions as a look back at her tenure on the Board and as a farewell. Please join me in thanking Leah for her years of service and wishing her well in the future.
How long have you been an elected official at STC?
Three years. Three looooooong years. I could have robbed a convenience store and been out sooner.
What positions have you held?
Director at Large. I also carried John Hedtke’s coffee cup during a few early meetings, but I’m not sure that is an official position.
Cindy Currie recently blogged about the “aha” moment when someone first suggested she run for office; she had never considered it before that. What was your “aha” moment? What or who first motivated you to run for STC office?
No “aha” moment. Various people had been trying to recruit me for at least three years prior to my term. They tried appealing to my sense of duty; they tried enticing me with power; they even tried luring me with chocolate. The phone calls! The emails! They were relentless. I blame it all on Koster-Lenhardt and a Belgian torte. The details are a bit hazy now, but I suspect that hazelnuts were also involved.
But seriously, I was very involved with my local chapter and didn’t feel ready to leave chapter leadership for Society-level leadership.
What special set of skills do you think you brought to STC over your tenure?
No special skills; perhaps a special perspective. As a BoD member from outside of North America[ed note: Leah is in Israel], I was often in the position of reminding others that STC is a global organization, and not just an American society.
What was the biggest challenge you faced on the Board?
Reading financial statements and wading through all the legal documents. That and sitting in conference call meetings late in the evening (because of the time differences).
What do you think was your biggest personal accomplishment?
Two things: first, getting both the BoD and the Office to start paying more attention to global issues. It’s an ongoing process and one that requires constant vigilance, but I am gratified to see that overall awareness has improved.
Second: causing at least one group spit-take during a BoD meeting.
What are you going to miss most about being on the Board?
Working with such dedicated people and gaining this amazing inside view of a professional Society. That and the chocolate, of course!
Is there anything you’re not particularly going to miss?
The long hours and the huge volume of email.
Any parting words of advice for the person succeeding you?
Don’t be afraid to ask questions. During my first year, I often found myself asking for clarification of things that everyone else seemed to know. (Turns out that not everyone knew, or different people interpreted something in different ways.) In that first year, you have the advantage of looking at things with fresh eyes; you may be the one to spot a problem that others cannot see because of over-familiarity.
And any parting thoughts for STC members as you ride off into the techcomm sunset?
Oh, I’m not riding off anywhere! I’ll still be haunting the STC halls, teaching certificate courses, doing webinars, speaking at conferences, and writing from time to time. I hope to always call STC my professional society, my TC home, and my global community of peers.