Minutes of the UAA Executive Committee Meeting
Thursday, July 19, 2012
10:30 am – 12:30 am
TetraTech Offices, Arlington, VA
Board Members in Attendance: Frank Almaguer, Margaret Carpenter, George Hill, Jim Michel
Board Members Absent: Alex Shakow, David Sprague, Ann Van Dusen
Committee Co-Chairs in Attendance: David Cohen, Paula Goddard, Nancy Tumavick
Committee Co-Chairs Absent: Curt Farrar, Brad Langmaid, Pam Mandel, Larry Smucker
UAA Executive Assistant: Kristina Short
Acting Chair: Frank Almaguer
1. Approval of the June 2012 Meeting Minutes:
The June 21, 2012 Executive Committee meeting minutes were approved for posting on the UAA website, pending minor changes.
2. AGM Preparations:
- Responsibility for AGM preparations and agenda rests with the Board. The creation of an ad-hoc committee to handle AGM planning was suggested, subject to consultation with Board Co-Chairs Ann Van Dusen and Alex Shakow.
- For the AGM, the Executive Committee will ask USAID interlocutors to share with AGM participants the status of major initiatives included in the “USAID Forward” program.
- The Committee voted in favor of engaging Linda Whitlock-Brown for AGM event planning purposes and will explore catering options.
- Frank Almaguer, Margaret Carpenter, and Jim Michel were appointed by the Board to serve as the Nominations Committee for the 2012 UAA Board Elections. In that capacity they will organize regular announcements about the nominations process and serve as the point of contact for responses. These details will be included in upcoming “Save the Date” messages, as well as in the August 2012 Newsletter. The Board positions that will be open are those currently held by Ann and David Sprague.
- Further discussion and final decisions on the upcoming AGM will take place at the August Executive Committee meeting.
3. UAA Strategic Plan:
The Executive Committee reiterated the importance of Committee Co-Chairs’ feedback on the current year’s (Oct. 2011-Oct. 2012) accomplishments and plans for the next two-three years. Committee co-chairs who have yet to do so are reminded to send their reports to Jim Michel as soon as possible and before the August Executive Committee meeting. The goal of the Executive Committee is to circulate these reports to the UAA membership prior to the October AGM
Next Steps:
- Kristina will send out a “Save the Date” AGM reminder e-mail to all registered alumni.
- Committee Co-Chairs who have yet to do so are to submit committee accomplishments and multi-year action plans to Jim Michel in time to discuss at the August Executive Committee Meeting.
4. Outreach Efforts with USAID:
- The Board Co-Chairs and David Cohen, perhaps accompanied by another Board member, will seek a meeting in the next few weeks with the incoming USAID Counselor, David Eckerson, to discuss the goals and objectives of the UAA, the partnership between UAA and USAID that the Executive Committee seeks to establish on an on-going basis, and other pending issues (e.g., mentoring program with the E&E Bureau). David Cohen will coordinate with Eckerson for date and time.
- The Executive Committee agreed that lines of formal UAA communication with USAID may need to be clarified. The goal is to help both sides distinguish UAA relationships and activities in partnership with USAID, as opposed to individual relationships between UAA members and USAID. These are not necessarily mutually exclusive. However, the distinction has not always been clear. For example, when a UAA Executive Committee member participates in a USAID training activity as an individual contributor, that is not necessarily an UAA activity with USAID.
- Potential areas of UAA future contributions to USAID will be further reviewed with the Counselor. As in the past, these may include, among others, providing knowledge and experience to new staff and new mission directors, as well as sharing of substantive experience to help inform the formulation by USAID of new policies and programs.
- Pam and David will try to contact Roberta Mahoney regarding the status of the E&E Mentoring Program proposal.
- The opportunity for collaboration between the UAA and Urban Affairs will be further discussed during the August Meeting.
- Frank will seek to contact Susan Reilly at HR regarding a point-of-contact at HR for the delivery of UAA brochures for inclusion in retirement packets.
The future role of the Public Outreach committee will be discussed at the August meeting.
5. DACOR/UAA Partnership:
The Executive Committee reiterated its expectation that the title for the Development Dialogues, which until recently have been advertised as the “DACOR Development Dialogues”, should be renamed as the “DACOR-UAA Development Dialogues”. In addition, the UAA should be included in discussions of sponsorship and credited as such in relevant publications and presentations.
6. UAA/Affinity Groups:
Discussion regarding the goals and purpose of the UAA as an organization is ongoing. The Executive Committee agreed that its first priority is to define with greater clarity what UAA represents and the organizational objectives it will seek to pursue in the future.
The committee hopes to bring this discussion to UAA members at the AGM and to solicit feedback regarding what members want out of the organization. Based on that discussion, the Executive Committee will be better able to decide on what ties, if any, it may choose to pursue between the UAA and other affinity groups.
7. July 28th Family Picnic:
The Membership Committee requested someone from the Board or Executive Committee to make appropriate welcoming remarks at the event. Jim Michel volunteered for this duty.
Other Membership Committee upcoming activities:
a. September movie (Point Four) on Ethiopia: The September movie event will be held at 6:30 pm on Wednesday, September 19th, at the offices of QED Groups. Mel Tewahade, director of the film, will organize and act as commentator for a panel discussion to accompany the film screening. The Executive Committee will draw up a list of alumni with area expertise who may be interested in joining the discussion.
b. Late 2012 Event: Possible events to be held in late 2012 includes a panel discussion, potentially jointly sponsored with another organization. The Executive Committee was in favor of holding an early to mid-January event so as to not conflict with the November elections or December holidays.
Next Steps:
- An announcement will be included in the August 2012 Newsletter and a handout detailing upcoming events will be distributed at the July 28th picnic.
- Kristina will look into marketing tools offered by Constant Contact for electronic invitations.
8. UAA as a Fundraising Tool:
The Executive Committee discussed the role of the UAA with respect to fundraising for member projects and agreed that the organization’s role should be limited to promotion of compatible activities and not financial sponsorship.
9. Next Executive Committee Meetings:
- The UAA Executive Committee would like to formally thank TetraTech for the generous use of their space. A letter from the current Board to TetraTech should be sent prior to the October AGM.
- The August meeting of the Executive Committee will be held from 10:30 am – 12:30 pm on August 16, 2012 at the TetraTech Offices in Arlington, VA.
- The September Executive Committee meeting will take place on Thursday, September 20.
- In preparation for the October 18 AGM, ad hoc meeting(s) of the Executive Committee or sub-committee on AGM preparations may be convened prior to the AGM.