TSNE Board President Passes the Baton

In the ED Forum, TSNE’s Executive Director Jonathan Spack reflects on issues facing non-profit organizations. He invites your response to his columns. Please email info@tsne.org to share your thoughts on this month’s issue.

Thank You, Louis Newell

In July, following the Annual Meeting of the TSNE board of directors, Louis Newell stepped down as our president after seven years of stellar leadership. Louis’ contributions to TSNE, however, extend much farther back than his recent role as president.

He originally joined the board of the organization – then called the Massachusetts Health Research Institute (MHRI) – back in 1971. With a background in banking and corporate philanthropy, Louis served as MHRI’s treasurer for many years. His reputation for competence and integrity and his ability to see the big picture while being attentive to detail were enormous assets to the organization.

After a two-year hiatus in the late 1990s, Louis agreed to return to help oversee our transition to our new role as a regional capacity builder. With his extensive networks among MHRI’s former public health constituency and the broader world of social change nonprofits served by TSNE, Louis was uniquely qualified to assume the role of president.

In addition to his wise counsel on strategic and management issues, his financial acumen and stalwart support were instrumental factors in the acquisition and development of Lincoln Plaza as Boston’s only NonProfit Center devoted to social change organizations. On a personal level, as executive director, I couldn’t have asked for a better mentor and partner throughout the years. I’m delighted that Louis has agreed to remain on the board beyond his term as president.

And New Role for Anna Madison

I am equally delighted to announce that TSNE’s new president is Anna Madison, Ph.D., associate professor in the College of Public and Community Service at UMass Boston. Professor Madison has devoted her career to understanding the causes and consequences of urban problems, working with communities to create solutions and advocating for policies to support those solutions.

Her current research includes an evaluation of HIV/AIDS community action strategy for AIDS preventive education targeted to the Haitian population in Boston. She has been an active TSNE board member since 1998.

The Benefit of Effective Board Members

As an institution, TSNE is privileged to have experienced, effective board leadership, such as Louis Newell and Anna Madison. Our board officers and members are a vigorous mix of non-profit executives and managers, professionals with capacity building expertise, others with a unique understanding of the sector’s funding partners, and still others who represent the business community and understand the special role that nonprofits play in society. And as we all know, an effective board of directors is key to the health and success of any nonprofit.

Sept.-07