WRI Annual Advisory Board Meeting: Recap

Posted in News.

Advisory Board Meeting ’16
Advisory Board Meeting ’16

Sam Donelson, new WRI Advisory Board member is welcomed by (l to r) Megan Griffault, Gwendy Harris, and Jane Massey Licata

Advisory Board Meeting ’16
Advisory Board Meeting ’16
Advisory Board Meeting ’16

Carolyn Heckman, newly elected WRI Advisory Board Chair, addresses the Board

Advisory Board Meeting ’16
Advisory Board Meeting ’16
Advisory Board Meeting ’16

Gwendy Harris and Carolyn Heckman present a plaque to outgoing Board Chair, Mike Moynihan

Advisory Board Meeting ’16
Advisory Board Meeting ’16
Advisory Board Meeting ’16

Gwendy Harris, Executive Director, WRI, presents Annual Report to the Board

Advisory Board Meeting ’16
Advisory Board Meeting ’16
Advisory Board Meeting ’16

Dean Kris Lindenmeyer recognizes WRI for its commitment to  the campus and to civic engagement; she also highlighted new directions for the campus and the envisioned role for WRI  

Advisory Board Meeting ’16
Advisory Board Meeting ’16
Advisory Board Meeting ’16

Mike Egenton, newly appointed chair of the WRI Public Policy Committee discusses his goals for the upcoming year (also pictured – Nicholas Asselta)

Advisory Board Meeting ’16
Advisory Board Meeting ’16
Advisory Board Meeting ’16

Members assemble for the Annual Meeting of the WRI Advisory Board

Advisory Board Meeting ’16
Advisory Board Meeting ’16
Advisory Board Meeting ’16

Board members Ian Leonard and Jonathan Young reflect on the Annual Report

Advisory Board Meeting ’16
Overlays

On Tuesday, October 25th, WRI held its annual Advisory Board meeting. Members from across South/Central Jersey convened at the newly remodeled Rutgers Alumni House on Cooper Street in Camden. Gwendy Harris, Executive Director at WRI, opened the meeting with a “WRI’s Year in Review” which highlighted the Institute’s top ten accomplishments for FY ’15-’16. These accomplishments ranged from the beginning of a new Juvenile Delinquency Prevention effort in Burlington County to acquiring funding for the establishment of an endowed scholarship which will be presented at next year’s Annual Fundraiser. Gwendy continued her introduction with ten items awaiting WRI in the coming year, including: the presentation and community discussion of research projects by Rutgers-Camden faculty members (Janice Beitz and Shauna Shames) and a poster accepted for submission detailing Pascale Sykes South Jersey Strengthening Families Initiative.  The poster will be presented in Vienna, Austria in March 2017.

Dean Lindenmeyer recognized WRI for its commitment to Rutgers-Camden and civic engagement throughout South Jersey. She also updated Board Members on the exciting changes coming to Rutgers-Camden over the next few months and how WRI will be an important part of the future.

During the ‘Official Business’ segment of the Meeting, the Chair’s report was discussed, purposed changes were approved, returning Board Members were re-elected, nominations for new Board Members were approved, and a new Board Chair and Vice Chair were elected. Mike Moynihan (outgoing Board Chair) handed over the reins to newly elected WRI Advisory Board Chair Carolyn Heckman. Carolyn and Gwendy presented Mike with a plaque of appreciation for his time as Board Chair.

Carolyn Heckman then addressed the Board and outlined her vision for the upcoming year and asked each individual Committee Chair to take time and speak to the Board in its entirety about what goals for the coming year.

Before the meeting adjourned, each committee came together and discussed how to best contribute to the success of the Advisory Board during FY ’16-’17. Overall, the Annual Meeting was both successful and productive.