Thursday, March 27, 2008

Meet our new executive director...



Dear Friend,

I have great news! This past year UrbanPromise has grown exponentially. Media attention has provided opportunities to share our story and success to a broader audience. Involvement of volunteers has increased over ten fold. New programs have been initiated. Amazing…all of it!

This dynamic growth has pushed our existing administrative infra-structure to the limits, challenging me to rethink how to best organize for this next chapter of organizational growth.

After serving as Executive Director for 20 years, the board and I both felt the need for me to relinquish the day-to-day administrative operations to someone more specifically gifted in those areas. As of February 4th, 2008 the board of directors has shifted my role to President of UrbanPromise Ministries.

My time will now be spent providing ministry vision and strategy, speaking publicly, recruiting volunteers, providing staff pastoral care, writing and securing the resources needed to ensure a healthy and prosperous future for our work in Camden. I am excited about being released from some of my management duties and freed to focus on these new areas.

To manage the day-to-day operations I am delighted to welcome Bernetta Millonde. Bernetta comes to UrbanPromise from Farleigh Dickenson University where she has served as Vice President of Enrollment Management. She has also worked in higher education administration at Drexel University and the University of Southern California and has 15 + years of organizational management experience.

One of her former colleagues wrote, “Bernetta is never at a loss to praise her staff for a job well done. She seeks opportunities for staff to learn new skills and encourages all efforts to grow and progress. She is consistent, fair, and even-tempered. Bernetta sees leadership as empowering, not controlling; she gets the job done with grace and humor, and even makes the coffee once in a while!” What a wonderful testimony from a former employee.

Thanks for all your support and encouragement over the years. I can assure you that the addition of Bernetta to our team will only strengthen our outreach to children, teens and families in Camden. I will keep you posted

Blessing,

Bruce Main
President, UrbanPromise Ministries