Last week we announced that the 49 Writers board of directors had selected Morgan Grey from a strong group of candidates to serve as our next Executive Director. Morgan will be introducing herself this time next week, before taking over on January 1, but we didn’t want to wait to share some of the details that so impressed the search committee.
Morgan has worked for grant-funded programs in nonprofits and the University for most of her working life, writing successful proposals and managing large budgets. She has also organized many events–conferences, classes, and forums–from conception to final report. She has a solid track record of effective outreach, partnership-building, and communications, and a clear commitment to the future success of 49 Writers.
When I started at 49 Writers in January 2012, one of my first responsibilities was to organize the annual Resolve to Write event. The first person I turned to for assistance was Morgan, a volunteer since May 2010 who was always willing to help out when needed and ready with good ideas and suggestions. Thereafter, I came to rely on Morgan on many occasions to lend a helping hand.
When Morgan asked to work with 49 Writers for her MFA practicum project, I was delighted, knowing that her contribution could only enhance what we were able to offer you, our beloved community of writers. Morgan soon proved herself to be a valuable asset with her excellent planning and organizational skills. She took on the task of developing our first series of salons, where members gathered at someone’s home to socialize, network, and share their work or enjoy a short program provided by guest speakers. The salons proved to be really popular with you and were always well attended. The salon guide Morgan developed served as a starting point for the 49 Writers member group in Juneau that now meets every other month and has a loyal following.
Most recently, she has taken on coordination of the annual Tutka Bay Writers Retreat, a role that demands close attention to detail, timely communication, and a quiet presence behind the scenes to ensure that everything is in place for a smooth weekend of intensive learning and writing.
Starting today, Morgan and I will be working together until the end of the month to transition 49 Writers to its new leadership and keep going the strong momentum that began at the beginning of 2014 with the growth of activities in Juneau and the rest of Southeast Alaska. Morgan shares our vision of expanding course offerings across the state, particularly online, and raising the visibility of Alaskan writers. You are in good hands as we move ahead!