Dear WILD Community,
Happy New Year – I hope you were able to spend the holiday season with your loved ones and took some time to relax before jumping into the new year. It seems every year goes by faster than the last, when I left for college my father told me “Take as many pictures as possible because the older you get, the faster time goes.” I’ll admit, I shrugged it off at the time but when I saw him this past Thanksgiving, I let him know that he was right.
Applying my dad’s advice to WILD, I thought back to all the events I’ve attended in different parts of the country and all the relationships I have made through the organization. I still remember going to my first WILD event years ago and being so nervous. Of course, I had nothing to be nervous about; every woman there was friendly and kind. I remember thinking – this is a community that I want to be a part of. Now I am humbled and grateful for the opportunity to serve as the second President of WILD Int’l.
As I take over from Kelly Roberts, I know I have big shoes to fill! Thank you for everything you have done and will continue to do for WILD. Moving into 2024, I cannot wait to share all the wonderful things our Board, Program Leaders and Chapters have been working on. The Board of Directors will continue to build a strong foundation to allow our organization to grow including new members, new chapters and new ways to support the wonderful women that make up the WILD Community. The vision I have for my first year as President is to make 2024 the Year of AND – as my first year as president, I have two main focuses: Membership AND Mentorship.
Membership – In 2023, we launched our Membership Drive and currently have over 400 members. Seven new chapters signed their charter and another four emerging chapters are in the works. In 2024, we want new members AND new chapters.
Mentorship – In 2023, the Mentorship Pilot Program was created and all spots were filled within 24 hours. The pilot program is set to begin in 2024, it allows participants to be both mentors AND mentees.
As a parting note, I would like to mention that WILD stands for Women in Lighting AND Design. I look forward to interacting with each of you over the course of the year on webinars, at tradeshows and during local chapter events. At our core, WILD is about the community we build – I am honored to be your President AND I am confident in lasting friendships with all of you. I am always available at info@womeninlightingaddesign.org, please don’t hesitate to reach out.
Sincerely,
Alessa
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