COVAA Hires Wanda Lee Bailey
April 17, 2007

We are thrilled to tell you about some exciting progress of the Congress of Volunteer Administrator Associations (COVAA). In addition to the continued forward momentum of the various committees, the Steering Committee recently hired Wanda Lee Bailey as a project strategist to provide leadership and guidance in the creation of the new association.

Wanda Lee Bailey attended the COVAA meeting in Denver as a delegate and comes to COVAA with extensive experience in nonprofit and volunteer management. Currently, Wanda is a resident of Colorado and a partner in a consulting practice that serves the nonprofit sector. Most recently, Wanda served as Executive Director of Volunteer San Diego, a premiere volunteer intermediary organization that serves as the volunteering resource for over 40,000 people each year by creating a culture of service in the community. Wanda has been on the boards of several local, state, and national professional organizations. Wanda is a graduate of Fieldstone Executive Learning Group, and she is trained in group facilitation and dynamics. Among her areas of expertise, Wanda specializes in nonprofit management, organizational development, board relations, volunteer management, fund development, and collaboration building and has provided training on a local, statewide, and national basis.

While the dedicated COVAA committee volunteers continue their crucial work, Wanda will be a welcomed addition to the team to ensure our goals are reached. She will provide the continuity and support that the volunteer delegates need to be successful in their efforts. Wanda will provide support to COVAA in a number of ways, including:

• Facilitate relationship development with strategic partners.
• Assist with identification of potential funding sources, market analysis, and research.
• Facilitation, coaching, and assistance with creation of strategic frameworks and shepherding actions.
• Provide support to steering committee co-chairs and sub-committee chairs through coaching, technical assistance, coordination, and helping to maintain focus.
• Assist with planning for management of new entity, as well as building the future organizational structure, programs, and budget.
  Assist with development and tracking of time line for launch of new national association.
• Plans are being made to hold meetings before the National Conference on Volunteering and Service in Philadelphia which is scheduled for this coming July. This meeting will provide opportunities to continue the dialogue and the work to establish a new national professional association. More information and progress reports will soon be added to our website at www.covaa.org.
  

Thank you,

Rita Chick and Joanna Johnson
COVAA Steering Committee Chairs