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We have been busy this summer. Cecilia and Cheryl and team Tina, Ebony and Stephanie have been hard at work making the changes and updates to our website so more and more of our procedures happen automatically.

The Strategic Planning Retreat Committee (18 people representing our members, training programs, staff and Strategic Planning Committee) met multiple times over the summer to create a vision and mission statement for our organization. A vision statement defines why we exist and what the community would look like if we succeed. The mission statement is a focus on today and what we do to achieve our vision. Both are important as a foundation and focus for strategy and guiding program development, marketing, and training. These will be presented at the next Board meeting and then put forward to the membership for comments and approval.

I am pleased to announce that we now have a Scholarship Committee (made up of Cheryl Difatta, staff representative, David Thomsen, Treasurer, Lisa Bode, Chair, Joe Verrone, Child and Diversity representative, and Colette Thomas, Psychotherapy representative). This group is tasked with reviewing applications and making decisions about scholarship funding. There is a general scholarship fund as well as three restricted scholarship funds: Diversities Scholarship Fund, Elyn Saks Scholarship Fund, Research Scholarship Fund. With recommendations from the Finance Committee, the Board will determine the amount available in the general scholarship fund each year. Travel stipends for conference attendance will be handled separately.

The Diversities Committee is set for their conference on Otherness with Anton Hart and Beverly J. Stoute on September 12. After our successful Summer Series Abroad, NCP’s Program Committee has organized a fall series with the overall topic Politics and Psychodynamic Thinking. Please save these dates: October 24, October 27, and November 14. Watch for details.

We also now have a new procedure for Programs. To enable our staff to adequately prepare for our programs, we will limit our very large programs to every other year, and our medium-to-large Zoom programs to an average of one per month for the spring and fall. If you have an idea for a program, please contact the Extension/Program Committee to obtain a preliminary proposal form.

Other announcements:

• The Board approved a tree being planted in the garden in honor of Jim Gooch – more details to come.

Thank you,
Paulene Popek, PhD, President