By Angela Gyurko, Secretary and Executive Committee member, LWV of Washington

Members of the LWVWA board of directors came together in early July for a day that began with connections and community-building and ended with a solid to-do list. 

We met for our annual retreat for the second consecutive year at Angel Arms Studio, a former Snohomish Catholic Church turned creative work and meeting space. We proceeded to drill down into the details of the strategic plan that resulted from the 2025 board retreat.  

Key among the topics was the state League’s transition from operating with an organizational structure featuring an administrative director to one with an executive director at the helm. 

Guided by experienced facilitator Barb Davis, we adapted a generic board-to-staff-responsibilities document to meet the specific needs of the League. Under the plan, board members sometimes will serve in strictly governance roles while, at other times, as portfolio leads. In the latter capacity, we will function as unpaid staff.   

In my Event-Planning portfolio role, for example, I will at times work side-by-side with paid staff members Amy Peloff and Carolyn Stewart, and other times, I will turn to Peloff for expertise and guidance before moving forward. 

In my governance role, I also have supervisory and performance-review responsibilities. Successfully juggling roles requires trust, communication and remembering which hat we're wearing at the time. 

With democracy and voting rights under siege from multiple directions, board members also recommitted to support grassroots democracy-building efforts underway in local Leagues throughout the state 

President Karen Crowley also discussed a number of the 19 tasks identified on the state tactical plan, some of which were presented during Council in Lacey in early June.  More about that work will be detailed in coming weeks as board members tackle projects such as expanding Zoom access, updating the state Communications plan and providing added training for local Leagues.

At one point in the July 11 retreat, we were encouraged to envision and then discuss what a successful year would look like. The brainstorming generated discussion on topics ranging from ensuring every member feels valued to what multi-level training might involve. 

After the retreat, new board member Wendy Colbert said, "I left impressed by the gifts each board member brings to the organization, inspired by our mission, and energized for the collective work ahead, especially given this crucial year of defending democracy."   

Crowley hosted the board members for dinner at her home in Snohomish the previous evening.

Angela Gyurko also carries the Fundraising portfolio and serves on the Nominating Committee.