"To all of the pioneers of this organization who have proceeded those of us today, we salute you in the spirit of volunteerism!!"
This apt ending to Dorothy Crawford's Historical Overview in her outstanding Children Are Our Tomorrow: A History OF LDA (1962-2000), is as pertinent to our organization today as it was in 1963. Grassroots advocacy and undeterred passion for children and adults with the ‘hidden disability' is both our raison d'etre and battle cry to serve those entrusted to our care.
Sometimes when an organization such as ours becomes successful, subsequent generations of families, consumers and professionals are lulled to sleep in the land of entitlements and government protection.
It is now time for all of us to wake up and observe the degree to which our forty plus years of hard work and dedication has eroded and the extent to which the cannibalization of shrinking resources has continued to reduce special education services.
During the proceedings of the Reno Conference in 2005, LDA's Board of Directors approved the initiation of a new Strategic Plan under the professional direction of the Bayer Center for Non-Profit Management. The Board's mandate was clear: Ignite a New Era!
Over the course of the following year, President Suzanne Fornaro approved of the establishment of LDA's Assessment Team which consisted of a cross section of LDA's infrastructure and service constituents. In only six months, the A-Team produced, analyzed and synthesized a national market survey of over one thousand respondents from within and without our organization who cared enough to tell us what we were doing right and in what we can do better to touch the lives of those who need us but who don't know us.
Armed with the compilation and analysis of our Strategic Plan 2005-2010, you can expect to see an immediate impact in the following areas:
I. Strengthening Organizational Effectiveness (Board restructuring, Leadership initiatives at the National Office, Development of Sustainable funding, Support State and Local Services Initiatives).
II. Focus on Addressing the Needs of all of our constituents in the Learning Disabilities Community (Strengthen services & Support to Reflect Changing Constituent Needs, Examine and Update Membership Model to reflect Current Market Forces, Expand Focus on Adults).
III. Strengthen LDA's Role and Presence in the Learning Disabilities Community. (Build on LDA Conference and Workshops to Make Them the Premier Information Networking Events in the Learning Disabilities Community, Create and Implement an Effective Outreach and Marketing Plan to reach all constituents within the Learning Disabilities Community, Develop a Strategy to Promote and Disseminate Up-to-date Research and Information on Learning Disabilities, Enhance the Organization's information Technology to be the Primary Communication and Outreach tool).
If we choose to listen to our constituents, our future direction is clear: Energize and revitalize our Board, Committees, National Office, Publications, Products, Website, Conference, Outreach to Affiliates, Marketing and Research. This mission is very doable over the next five years and I will promise you that every ounce of my energy will be dedicated to this organizational transformation. Yes, we will be looking a little different—sleeker and more productive; acting more assertively—like the volunteers of old; and working smarter---technically savvier in our fast paced environments.
I am grateful to all of you for your support and confidence. Please help me carry our banner into the next decade of advocacy and excellence for our very special kids and adults, their families and all of the professionals who serve them. |
