Leadership Conference 2022
ROR-KC's Executive Director, Jenny Horsley, and Book Coordinator, Stefanie Estes, headed north to Madison, WI for the 2022 Reach Out and Read Leadership Conference.
ROR-KC's Executive Director, Jenny Horsley, and Book Coordinator, Stefanie Estes, headed north to Madison, WI for the 2022 Reach Out and Read Leadership Conference. This was a three-day event that aimed to deepen relationships, strengthen the ROR community, and reflect on the values and behaviors that ROR seeks to promote. A short example of some of the session offered were: Building Connections Begins at Birth: Strategy, Implementation, and Incorporation of Beginning at Birth and Early Relational Health; and Building Public Awareness: A Vision for the Future; Centering Equity at Reach Out and Read.
When asked, Stefanie said she was most excited to visit one of Reach Out and Read Kansas City’s vendor’s warehouse, Books4School. She was not disappointed and enjoyed touring the family-owned business and meeting them all in person.
After speaking with the Reach Out and Read’s new CEO Marty Martinez over the phone a couple times, Jenny was looking forward to meeting him in person and attend his Plenary: Organizational Strategy Update and Leadership Q&A Panel. After meeting and listening to Marty, Jenny stated that “Marty is a dedicated leader intent on listening to the Reach Out and Read leaders across the nation. He is completely transparent, including with strategic planning and financials and actually seeks feedback during and after the process. I am very impressed.”
A little about Marty: Marty brings nearly 25 years of experience to our organization and most recently led the City of Boston through some of the most pressing social and community challenges, including COVID-19. He was appointed by the Reach Out and Read Board of Directors. Learn more about Marty.
The trip wasn’t all spent in breakout sessions and meetings. They were able to see some of the sights around Madison, meet ROR affiliates from all over the country and enjoy delicious food. They even ran across a cute little outdoor library full of books! All in all it was a successful trip and they are looking forward to seeing what the 2023 Leadership Conference brings.
