A New Chapter
By AV Ex-Officio Board Member Laura Peck
I like to say that I joined the Board of Directors in the way back before we had a more formal recruitment process. I met with Pat Sussman and Shirley Haberfeld, our founders, and Andra Lichtenstein, now board chair over a cup of coffee at Saul’s. The Village movement values of community and reciprocity resonated deeply with me. We traded stories and I was invited to join.
I wasn’t necessarily looking for new friends, but my network expanded as I did work with others. In the early days, Barbi Jo Stim, Tobey Klein and I, aka The Events Committee, would arrive hours early to big gatherings to set up the tables and chairs; we brought along dozens of tablecloths and flower arrangements.
Over the years, I focused my volunteer service on building the organization. As chair of the Governance Committee, I led a Board self-evaluation and supervised Berkeley grad students to map our transition to an institutional board, one more focused on strategy and sustainability. The quality of commitment and conversation that characterizes our Board deliberations continues to inspire me. The newest board members show how Ashby Village’s reach and reputation have continued to grow.
Now in my third chapter of Board service, I am serving in an ex officio capacity. After two terms, I will continue as a non-voting member because of my role as chair of the newly formed Diversity, Inclusion, and Equity Committee. I am passionate about taking down any barriers to our programs, celebrating and raising up different voices, and contributing to an experience of dignity, safety and belonging for all older adults in the east bay. DEI work challenges my thinking, opens my heart, and fortifies my resolve to make a more just world for my grandchildren.
P.S. The DEI Committee will be expanding to include members and volunteers, reach out if you are interested to: laura@laurapeckconsulting.com.
A Philadelphia native, Laura graduated from Cornell University, UC Berkeley School of Public Health and the Columbia-Michigan Organizational Development Program. She has worked as a coach and facilitator at the intersection of strategy, culture and leadership with social sector organizations in a variety of fields for over 30 years. Her work at Ashby Village has focused on strategy, governance and community engagement, most recently as chair of the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee. Meditation and yoga keep her centered; grandparenting keeps her joyful.