Letter from Tracey Hurd

— Sunday 24th June 2012
Dear Friends,
I hope this note finds you enjoying the summer!  Though our WomenExplore Lecture and Discussion Forum series ended in May, we have been very busy. I want to share some good news, update you on our spring work, and let you know about some transitions, including my decision to resign as Executive Director and move to a new role in WomenExplore.

There is much good news to share.  Just this week WomenExplore Lecture and Discussion Forum was named a 2012 Top Women’s Empowerment Nonprofit Organization by GreatNonprofits.org.  We are so honored!  Thank you to those who nominated us and wrote the reviews that resulted in this recognition. 

This month, we welcomed Clark University junior, Maya Allen, as our summer marketing intern.  She is pursuing a degree in Management with an interest in Social Entrepreneurship.  Maya is creating a series of flyers for our series and contributing to other marketing efforts.  We are thrilled to have her with us; she will be studying abroad in London in the fall.  You can see a photo of Maya on our WomenExplore facebook page.

The construction and composition of our Spring 2013 series, What Does This “Wild and Precious Life” Demand of Us?  is well underway.  We wove the words of Mary Oliver into our series title and one of the session titles.  Take a peek at www.womenexplore.org for more about the series so far and for news about upcoming planning meetings.  We would love to have you there!

The fall series, Living with Secrets and Lies, awaits us with promise.  This fall there will be some changes!  We will gather at our new time 11:30 am – 1:30 pm for the Forum, with 10:00 am – 11:00 as the meeting time of the open community support and discussion group.  

In May I gave my notice to WomenExplore and my time as Executive Director will close at the end of July.  I will return to my work as a psychologist, going back to school to gain clinical training that will complement my doctorate in developmental psychology. 

I have loved you all and being part of the WomenExplore/TOP community. 

I will miss being the director, but I am completely confident about the future of WomenExplore!  Work is underway to ensure that there is a smooth transition during the steps that will lead to finding a new director.   I am delighted to remain among you in a new way, as I shepherd some promising, almost-finalized initiatives linking our regular WomenExplore forums with Continuing Education Units (CEUs) and graduate course status.   I am happy to have this responsibility in my new role as Resident Scholar, WomenExplore Lecture & Discussion Forum.  Emmy Robertson will also serve as Resident Scholar, collaborating on these efforts and serving with me as co- faculty for the course (which is pending final Lesley University approval).

I am deeply grateful for the opportunity to have served as your director and to be in the midst of such wonderful, intelligent, intuitive, and inspiring people.  You make WomenExplore the treasure it is.  I look forward to seeing you in the fall, supporting the next steps of WomenExplore, and being part of the unfolding story that we are writing together.

With love and best summer wishes,

Tracey

Tracey L. Hurd, Ph.D.

Executive Director

WomenExplore Lecture & Discussion Forum

formerly the Theological Opportunities Program