Six elected to join Affirmations Board of Directors

Six business and community leaders joined the Affirmations Board of Directors at the organization's Annual Meeting on May 28. New additions include: Jade Brown, Amrit Kohli, and Mary Rose MacMillan, who join the board as the community center continues to search for board members who reflect the diverse community the organization serves. In addition to new members, five incumbents were re-elected – Stacey Cassis, Christopher Frith, William Korsak, Nancy Katz, and David Light – bringing the board to 21 members.
"The new board members are a dynamic set of individuals representing diverse backgrounds that will help take Affirmations to the next level and broaden our awareness of the needs of the greater LGBT community," said Leslie Thompson, Affirmations chief executive officer. Thompson hopes the newest board members, as well as other recent additions – Melody "Zip" Johnson, Travis Parman, and Mike Odom – will work with current members to transition the Board of Directors from a fundraising board to a governance board.
"While focusing on financial development and fiscal policy will always be a responsibility of the board, Affirmations has matured to a level of service and complexity that requires attention to other areas," board President Nancy Katz said about the transition. "It is also the board's job to look outward to make sure the organization continues its evolution to meet the changing needs of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) community in Michigan."
Responsibilities of the board include maintaining a three-year strategic plan, serving as the policy-setting body of the organization and insuring that resources are available to carry out the goals and objectives.
Elections for the Board of Directors are held each year at the Annual Meeting in May. To be a board member, individuals must be a member of Affirmations at least 60 days prior to the election and express to the board their intent to run. The Affirmations Board of Directors looks for members with a variety of skills, including a strong financial background, legal knowledge, organizational skills, an understanding of non-profit governance and strong connections in the LGBT community and to potential funders and sponsors. Elected terms are three years.
Affirmations is the community center for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people and their allies. Open since 1989 and located in Detroit suburb of Ferndale, Affirmations provides a welcoming space where people of all sexual orientations, gender identities and expressions and cultures can find support and unconditional acceptance, and where they can learn, grow, socialize and have fun. For more information, visit http://www.goaffirmations.org.