| Dear AFS Volunteers,
Since I last communicated with you in early October, I’ve been focused on ensuring a thorough and thoughtful process around how the new staffing configuration will come together in a way that will support and sustain our very important volunteer base. Today I’d like to share an overview of the most recent progress, primarily the important adjustments to the staffing of AFS-USA.
In my last message I wrote about how volunteer teams were being organized into six geographical regions. Each region will have set volume goals for hosting and sending performance. The regions have been formulated using data-driven indicators that include current volunteer numbers, the rate of volunteer satisfaction, actual program volume for hosting and sending in 2019, outbound applications and how many traveled, and more. We also made sure that a contiguous state organization was in place in order to enable the implementation of state-wide school strategies.
Another key goal of this reset is that we integrate the Organizational Development team with Field Operations. These two branches that are focused on the development and coordination of Area Teams (and their many endeavors) need to work together seamlessly in order to achieve our organizational goals. The new Regional Director setup has been built on this philosophy.
Each of the six Regional Teams will have one Regional Director, responsible for establishing a strategic vision and a work plan for managing and developing his/her region – all with a key focus on building strong school relations and achieving volunteer development needs.
West: Traci Larson-Lee
Mountains and Plains: Abbey Nitzke
Western Lakes: Shaun Sullens
Eastern Lakes: Martha Friend
Northeast: Candace O’Malley
Southeast: Jenna Powell
These six people bring together a vast amount of knowledge and skills from all of the key areas of AFS: hosting, sending, support, and organizational/volunteer development, to name a few. This past Friday, the newly appointed Regional Directors communicated with all the volunteers In their regions to ensure that all volunteers are aware of their new staff contacts.
Regional Staff Teams
It was essential to us to establish cross-functional teams that were equipped with a much broader skillset and expertise to dedicate to the volunteers in their regions. This approach allows for the utilization of a strategic lens when setting each region’s direction, goals, and priorities for school strategy, program development, school relationships, and more. By regionalizing in a manner that keeps entire states intact, the team structure also allows for a more consistent approach to school regulations, state-by-state, and allows for tailoring plans more specifically (and strategically) to the regions served. It also allocates the necessary resources to support region-specific operations, program delivery, and participant support. Training and development events become more feasible through a regional setup.
Each region includes:
- Three Hosting Specialists that are responsible for working as a team toward the achievement of the hosting goal. They will work closely with the volunteers in the teams/chapters within the region;
- One Sending Specialists, each covering two regions, is responsible for guiding the promotion and recruitment for all outbound programs, ensuring that the goals assigned to their region are met;
- One Volunteer Services position is responsible for working with volunteers on administrative, logistical, and compliance-related issues.
One of the important takeaways from this new setup is that every AFS team and volunteer will have more staff resources to aid them in hosting, sending, training, advice, and more.
Please follow this link to view maps that provide the staffing and configuration of each Regional Team.
A number of additional staffing adjustments have been made that will help to ensure the success of this reset.
Departures
On Friday of last week, we said farewell to a number of our colleagues and friends – fellow staff members who’ve worked alongside so many staff and volunteers in recruiting host families, handling support cases, presenting AFS programs to high school students at schools and fairs, and so much more. I know that each of them has left a mark on everyone with whom they’ve collaborated. I thank all of them for their years of service to AFS and certainly wish them well in their future endeavors.
Included in the recent departures are three organizational leaders with whom many staff and volunteers have collaborated; John Duban, Andy Smith, and Rick Landrum. To say that they have been an integral part of our organization is frankly an understatement. Under their leadership, AFS-USA was able to meet many of the challenges that have come our way. While it’s difficult to say goodbye to AFS friends, we thank them and wish them the best of luck in their future endeavors.
Changes to the leadership of AFS-USA
I’ve mentioned a number of times that change can be very challenging and, therefore, I know that it’s critical for me to have a skilled and reliable senior staff team to help me lead AFS-USA through change and on to success – success in living up to the expectations of our founders as well as ensuring that AFS-USA is a healthy and sustainable organization.
The Executive Team is the group of staff that works closely with me on our organizational priorities and, in turn, are those I hold most accountable for attaining our goals. The three existing members of the Executive Team, Keri Dooley, Marlene Baker, and Susan Goldberg have been joined by Mary Jo Brock, Melvin Harmon, and Willie Thompson.
Mary Jo Brock has taken on the role of Chief Officer of Field Operations and Organizational Development. In addition to managing the Regional Teams and the Organizational Development Team, Mary Jo will be supported by two new leadership positions: Sr. Director of Field Team Training and Management (Sarah Radermacher), and Sr. Director of Analytics and Field Team Management (Scott Hume).
Leading an organization as complex as ours requires that we have the data and business analysis that enables us to make sound decisions for AFS. To that end, Willie Thompson, who has served the organization for many years developing our digital products and, at one point, managed what was then called the Lead Management Team, has joined the Executive Team as the Chief Growth Officer and Business Analyst.
Melvin Harmon has joined the Executive Team as the Chief Officer of Marketing, Customer Experience, and Strategic Advancement. More specifically, Melvin oversees a number of departments that provide services to students and volunteers including the Participant Support Team, the Study Abroad team, the newly created team of Educational Outreach and Partnerships, the Marketing Team, and Program Content and Evaluation. He is supported by a number of new or promoted staff, including Caitlin Schneider (Sr. Director of Study Abroad), Barbara Telser-Gadow (Sr. Director of Participant Support), Jill Woerner (Director of Educational Outreach), Jeff Burtner (Sr. Manager of External Partnerships & Outreach), Justin De Andrade (Sr. Manager, Study Abroad), and Parker Allen (Sr. Manager of Program Content and Evaluation). These staff join the existing members of Melvin’s management group: Shameeka Leacock, Isil Nart-Alexander, Ian Loumos, Luis Cisneros, and Elena Gonzalez.
The priority has been to create a map of the field teams and their respective staff. Next we will create a comprehensive organizational chart to be shared with you via MyAFS.
Conclusion
By implementing virtual and skilled teams of staff supporting specific regions of the country, we expect to be able to:
- deliver on the AFS-USA Strategic Plan priorities
- provide support to volunteers
- deliver our programs
- position AFS-USA for the future
Due to these new teams, it is my hope that we are better positioned to achieve hosting and sending goals, provide robust school engagement, and deliver quality support and services to our volunteers, participants, and host families.
I know that change can be especially challenging in an organization like ours. After all, AFS is built largely on relationships rather than the cut-and-dry production of a product. While our people are our greatest strength, change is inevitable. I hope that I can count on your feedback, patience, and above all, your support as we move forward in strengthening this organization that means so much to all of us.
I look forward to a new and dynamic future for AFS-USA. |
