madam president

November has been something else. Wild, startling, humbling. Professionally vindicating?

The month started with the opening of a gallery show of the BU photo departments’ work on November 7. The whole experience was so interesting, from choosing which thirteen images I would include, to wondering if people would show up ti see it (they did!).

I decided it was a big deal. I’ve never had a show before, and it seems like a once in a lifetime experience. So, I invited loved ones to attend and called a restaurant not too far away to make a reservation for 16, figuring if we don’t fill them, it’s better to book too many than too little.

At least thirty people I love showed up for me, and a few days prior I had to increase the reservation to accommodate twenty. My cup was full to say the least.

All night I asked these friends and family members “Which photo is your favorite?” and giggled to myself at how pompous I must have sounded, knowing that when the dust settled, I’d recall their answers and have prints made of the favorites to make and send thank you notes with.

Two weeks later I hopped on a plane to join my fellow UPAA board members for our annual in-person midyear meeting in Knoxville, Tennessee. Knoxville was the location this year because this summer, the University of Tennessee will be hosting our annual symposium. I’ve never been to Knoxville and I found the place delightful! I loved the downtown and all its lovely little shops.

With many plans for our membership coming up, this year’s meeting ran the longest of any prior. Straight through the first full day meeting, we met the next day for a few hours to finish up. As is always the case, I love meeting with this group. We from a variety of places in the country – MI, IL, FL, CA, TX. While we may have some differing views, we are dedication to the UPAA. I genuinely enjoy approaching challenges, brainstorming, and finding solutions together.

Our current president completes his term at the end of 2024 after a long and successful stint of 16 years as president. Currently the UPAA’s treasurer, I was approached by a few people while attending last summer’s symposium and asked “Are you going to run for president?”

“Absolutely not” was the answer I gave at the beginning of the week-long conference. By the end, my answer morphed into “If someone else will take treasurer and the board feels right about choosing me, I’ll do it”

I began to seriously consider it. Could I do it? Did I want to? I just wasn’t sure. Board members asked me about it as well, and I got to wondering, maybe it’s not about what I want, but what the UPAA, who has never had a woman president since its founding in 1961, is ready for?

I was faced with something I am familiar with – recognizing an opportunity that scared the crap out of me, and know that within that fear is growth. So, months later, I sent an email to the board pitching myself for the position, listing all the ways I’d contributed to the group thus far, and sharing with them how I’d made the dreaded position of treasury a bit easier for the next person with some app implementation and organizing.

I received nearly unilateral support, and the current president, who I also consider a friend, called me after receiving that email, and began immediately sharing presidential need-to-knows with me. “I haven’t been elected!” I reminded him.

At the end of the very long meeting in TN, I was elected president by the board. President of a national organization with over 325 members. The first woman since the organization’s founding in 1961. I shoved down the imposter syndrome and compartmentalized, knowing there would be only so long I could do that.

The rest of the trip had a strange shift to it. This big thing had happened and I’d yet to wrap my brain around it. There’s time for that. My picture was being taken discretely. Something I am not used to but recognized that me aside, the woman president elect touring UT and talking with the current president needed to be documented.

I was driving to my PT appointment on Tuesday the morning after I got back from TN when the dashboard screen in my car started lighting up with text messages. What on earth? Then I realized these were all people from the UPAA. The announcement had been sent out. Since then I’ve been inundated with very kind words of encouragement and many “Let me know how I can help!” offers. (One of my favorites was “It’s about time someone elected a woman president!”)

I got one message from a member that really struck me. (When you read this, pretend it’s not about me, but just focus of the female president element), “I have always loved UPAA, and felt proud to be a part of it. Now I love it even more, and feel like UPAA is a part of me. Thank you for taking on this role. If there are any small things I might have the ability to contribute toward your success, to OUR success, please let me know. A small thing I have already assigned to myself is to adjust my attitude away from feeling like the boys let us join their club, toward feeling like this isn’t a club, it’s a professional organization filled with folks who share a particular vocation. And for that reason, we all belong here.”

Her words made me realize with a bit more focus what a big deal it is that the next president is a woman.

It’s going to be interesting.

Here’s an article a student wrote about me for the gallery opening. Hopefully by the time to click the link, the corrections have been made.