A note from our new Executive Director
If there was to be a theme to the time from my start on August 1 to today, it would be “so much is happening.” For those of you who’ve followed the work of the Elmina B. Sewall Foundation (EBSF) over the years, this is no surprise. EBSF is committed to ongoing learning and the hard work that this requires. It is an honor to lead an organization so rooted in values and a unifying vision for improving the wellbeing of people, animals and the environment in Maine.
Amid all the multiple changes, transformations and shifts that Sewall is undergoing, our small and mighty staff has been strong and steady, holding space for ongoing commitments and new ways of being with grace and generosity. I want to thank my team for all the ways that they’ve made this transition positive and productive, personally and professionally.
Alongside EBSF’s staff team, our Board continues to exemplify leadership in the service of our mission to improve the wellbeing of people, animals and the environment in Maine, while fostering equity and centering community voices. Our work would simply not be possible without the generous and thoughtful leadership of each and every one of our Board members.
As I familiarize myself with the many organizations and efforts around the state, I am impressed and inspired by the work that our nonprofit partners are leading across Maine and excited at the opportunities for collaboration and partnership across sectors.
The path forward builds upon years of work, seeing to fruition the nurture and care of the past years. As a mother, I know times of growth and transformation require resources, flexibility, humility and a sense of humor. As we continue to grow and evolve as an organization, we take very seriously honoring and practicing the values upon which the Sewall Foundation is founded, and we are excited to further align our operations with our strategic philosophy. This means we will be looking at our internal and external policies and practices to make sure they reflect our mission and values. (Speaking of being a mother, my family—human and canine-- is loving exploring our new home, getting to know Maine’s beautiful spaces and welcoming people!)
Looking to philanthropic best practices, lessons learned from our peers and listening to our community partners, we’ve identified areas of planned growth to support our mission and emerging strategies, including field- and capacity-building, communications, community and relationship-building, convening, mission-aligned investment and shared learning. This is complex and challenging work, iterative and ongoing, and we are in it for the long-haul. In moving forward, we will be guided by our upcoming organizational equity assessment and the expertise and wisdom of partners, current and new.
EBSF’s mission is important to me personally and professionally, and I recognize that the work we do hinges on relationships—our relationships with each other, with nature and with the creatures that share our natural and built environments. The first many months at EBSF will be about getting to know my new home and relationship-building. I’ll be traveling around Maine with staff to connect with partners, and see the work being done in communities. As an organization, we will be looking across the state to hold meetings and learning opportunities.
As a foundation, we exist in a position of privilege. With this privilege comes power, and the possibility to use that power with courage to support equitable systems and practices, and to challenge systems and practices that are unfair and harmful to the people, animals and environments in Maine. I look forward to learning with and from you.