Wednesday, November 11, 2009

Call me MS. New Regional Director


I'm the new Region II Director for the Garden Writers Association. I join my fellow Region II Directors, Denise Cowie and Steve Maurer, in setting the regional meetings and programs. Region II is compact, it contains the Mid-Atlantic states of DC, MD, DE, PA NJ, and PA, but annoyingly does not include northern Virginia. (That is a long story for another time.) We are the smallest region by land area, though our membership numbers are high and we are one of most active. It doesn't hurt that we are an easy day trip to each other and we host one of the GWA's biggest regional meetings at the Philadelphia Flower Show each year.

How did I get this prestigious post you might ask? I said I'd do it. As in most things in life, I showed up, I piped up, then I was picked out. The squeaky wheel gets the grease. I'm thinking this MAY be a case of "be careful what you wish for." Only a few weeks into the volunteer leadership position, I have received a big notebook of rules to be observed, endured an over two hour conference call with our executive leadership, and received numerous requests for regional meetings by members for locations close to them. I'm hoping this is just an initial flurry and things will settle down as my newness wears off.

My reasons for doing this is that I want to see GWA change and adapt to the 21st C. This is a great group of talented garden communicators and many of them worry about the future of this profession. I see GWA's role as bringing us together to network and brainstorm ways in which we can elevate both the profile and worth of garden communicators.

If you are a garden-related book author, editor, columnist, freelance writer, photographer, landscape designer, television/radio personality, consultant, catalog publisher, extension service agent, etc. and want to learn more about GWA and joining the Association, don't hesistate to drop me a note.

2 comments:

  1. Ms. New Regional Director, I came across GWA through the Washington Gardener Magazine site and wondered if Region II includes Washington, DC area? I also could not find your name and how to contact you when I went to GWA...the site does not make very clear to new site visitors how to identify your region nor who to contact. As a garden designer, I am quite location specific. All the best, Serena Fossi Gardening and Gentle Redesign LLC Chevy Chase, MD

    ReplyDelete
  2. HI Serena - Yes, DC is in Region 2. Annoyingly though, all of Virginia goes with the vast southern region. Many of us would like to see NoVa go with our region. I'll pass your note on to the GWA web site staff to see if they can make the regions and official lists more user friendly.

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