To Our Members:
For those present at the creation, the rapid growth of IAW&A has been deeply satisfying to witness. In the almost four years since the idea was first hatched, the organization has moved beyond initial expectations and taken on a momentum of its own.
As the activities and commitments of the IAW&A have continued to expand, so have the responsibilities of our board. We have no paid staff. The board members provide the day-in, day-out involvement and oversight that support our ability to pay tribute to our greatest writers and artists as well as foster new voices and talent.
The recent and much-welcomed additions to our board–Skye Gurney, Charles Hale, John Kearns, John Lee, and Honor Molloy, and Tim O’Brien–reflect IAW&A’s dynamic and widening reach. Drawn from different backgrounds and endowed with diverse skills, they share a single commitment to enhancing IAW&A’s impact as a force for creative engagement and cultural renewal.
Along with our new board members, we also have a change in leadership. After three years as president, I’ve stepped down (and, no, I haven’t been granted immunity from future prosecution for crimes committed while in office). As of January 1, 2012, our new president is bestselling author, crime chronicler, screenwriter, raconteur, activist, and IAW&A’s co-founder, T.J. English (and, no, he has no plans to change his last name).
It’s been a thrill and a privilege to be a co-founder and first president of IAW&A. I look forward to continuing to serve on the board under T.J.’s leadership and to interacting with our gifted and growing membership. There ain’t no doubt about it–The best is yet to come!
