Treasure House Fashions was committed to developing board best practices and planning for their future through committee structure and concrete action plans. Ayanna Lee-Davis, a FedEx legal counsel employee, was committed to serving a local nonprofit as a board member. The Covestro Center for Community Engagement’s BoardsWork! program brought them together.
Once their organization completed a customized board retreat as a part of their BoardsWork! engagement, executive director Sally Power knew they were on a path to success. She said…
“Our experience EXCEEDED my expectations, and I felt the time was an excellent investment in our understanding, our relationship as a board, and in preparation for this stage of our growth! Evie, our facilitator, did an outstanding job of facilitating the event, and I’m positively giddy with anticipation for
our next steps!”
The mission of Treasure House Fashions – to promote the dignity and self-esteem of women, particularly women in transition or crisis – resonated with Ayanna, a FedEx employee. She told us during the board matching process…
“I was parent-less at the age of 10 and was a child that did not have basic necessities or a steady place to live (not really homeless, but at times it felt like it). I used education as a road map to rid myself of this situation. I know how important it is to provide services/essentials to children and youth – it made all the difference in my life. As a single mother of two children, I can relate to the struggles of women similarly situated. I am all about support groups and empowerment of women.”
We asked Ayanna a few questions about BoardsWork! and board service in general. Here’s her testimony.
What drew you to BoardsWork!?
FedEx is committed to serving the communities in which we live and work and encourages its employees to serve on boards and be proactive about delivering positive change. FedEx recommended the training provided by the BoardsWork! program.
What did you learn in the full-day training that you didn’t know before?
The extent of responsibility you truly hold as a board member. What interests and compels you about board service? Giving back is something that is extremely important to me. I think we all have a duty to be positive influences, and to serve as needed, in our respective communities. Most nonprofits aim to fulfill missions that are essential to a segment of the population or to society as a whole.
How has your board experience with Treasure House Fashions (THF) been thus far? What was the matching process like through BoardsWork! What experiences and skills have you lent or applied to them?
The matching process was fairly quick. I communicated my interests and was matched with THF. My first board meeting took place in May (2018). The positive energy and passion was evident from the beginning, and I left the meeting feeling that much more determined to become an effective board
member that will help further THF’s mission. I plan on serving on the finance committee.
What have you learned through your experience about leadership and the nonprofit landscape?
There are a number of members leading the charge that have served longer than I have. However, I can still be a leader, even when I am not in a “leadership” position on the board. I can and try to provide service-based leadership, no matter my role.
What would you tell other colleagues or friends if they were interested in serving on a nonprofit board?
It is a very rewarding and worthwhile experience. The positive impact you can bring to a community or a certain demographic is priceless.
