MEMBERSHIP VICE PRESIDENT: Karen Wellin, Valley Forge Branch
Karen has been a branch member for 20+ years and is currently the Program VP for her branch, previously having served as president (2011-2015) and Hospitality Chair.
Karen led the Living Theater interest group and has participated in current events, film, and dance group.
Karen was a member of the AAUW National Leadership Corp in 2010 and attended the AAUW National Conventions in Saint Louis (2009) and in Washington DC (2017). She attended state meetings in Carlisle, PA, in Lewisburg, PA, and in Harrisburg in 2022. She attended regional meetings in the past when they were planned.
About 7 years ago, she participated in a Lobby Day in Harrisburg with Mary Carr where they visited with state senators lobbying about school issues and high school graduation test requirements.
Most recently Karen was employed by The Franklin Institute, a science museum in Philadelphia, PA. For 30 years, she worked in the Museum Education department training and supervising volunteers and staff who worked “on the floor” with museum visitors demonstrating and implementing the educational programming. She was responsible for scheduling, managing and evaluating work performance. She was also involved in working with the camp program developing activities and with the high school intern program mentoring inner-city youth.
When asked what she sees as the primary focus of AAUW-PA and how she would use her position to work towards that goal, Karen replied:
AAUW PA has a valuable role in being the primary support and communication group for all current and future state members and branches. Support can be in many areas – leadership training, program ideas, AAUW education and research knowledge, and in membership retention and growth. Communication is two-fold; AAUW PA can be our voice in the political arena, in lobbying, and in disseminating important information about AAUW and its mission. AAUW PA can also be our ears listening to the needs of its members and listening for trends in our communities and cultural arenas so that AAUW can best fulfill its mission for women and girls.
Membership retention and growth is a vital part of what AAUW PA can and should be focused on to support its branches and members. The needs of current members and the needs of future members may or may not be the same and these should be identified and managed. New members will join and current members will stay only when AAUW meets some need for that individual. This is where communication and listening are so important – how can a state membership program fulfill the needs of current members and also be open to the needs of the future? We believe we have an important mission; now we have to find those women and men who want and need to support that mission as well.
FINANCE OFFICER: Dr. Ann Echols, State College Branch, formerly of the Blacksburg, VA, Branch
AAUW State College Branch treasurer
AAUW PA Finance Officer
I did not track all meetings and conventions that I attended. But, as treasurer/finance officer I have to process payments at the conventions/retreats. Book Sales, etc. so I attend.
I am a retired business professor. I taught undergraduate and graduate courses at Virginia Tech, Penn State University Park, Bucknell University (as a visiting faculty) and at Juniata College.
I founded and am currently the Executive Director of Volunteer Centre County. I am also a Big Sister in the Big Brothers Big Sisters organization, I am on the Leadership Centre County Board, I volunteer with Master Gardeners where I participate in older adult outreach, and I rescue old beagles with Nittany Beagle Rescue. I am the treasurer for Talleyrand Croquet (a 501c3 nonprofit), and I am the current AAUW PA Finance Officer.
My professional experience has been in education: teaching, training and development. I also have research-based publications and have done consulting work in non-profit management, business administration and statistics. I hold a BBA in Accounting from Texas A&M Mays Business School, and an MBA in Accounting/Finance from Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, FL. I worked in public and private accounting for 5 years before going back to teaching.
When asked what she sees as the primary focus of AAUW PA and how she would work toward that goal if elected, Ann replied:
I would seriously say the same thing that I said two years ago (as written in the December 2020 Keystoner), repeated below.
Today, these same issues still persist. With the Community Hub, I believe that we are strengthening our online presences but it is not there yet, as the HUB still has many issues that need attention, in my opinion.
We still need younger members. I have observed the dissolution of several branch affiliates. This is unfortunate. We need to empower women as leaders – leading not only our branches but initiatives that embrace the positive contributions of women in our society.
I believe that we also need to have a more uniform dissemination of AAUW’s programs, policies and advocacy-work so that all State and Branch affiliates are more in-line with National. I observe that branches differ greatly and while it is nice to have the diversity, not all attend to National’s mission the same way. The cohesiveness of AAUW.org can be strengthened by aligning the State and Branch affiliates closer with National.
AAUW PA serves as a conduit between national and the State’s branches, helping to ensure they are aligned and support the mission and values of the organization while meeting the needs of local communities.
As a unified organization, I would like to see AAUW reduce barriers to membership, streamline the ease of processing membership applications online which may include reducing the number of membership schemes, as well as increase the attention given to closing the pay gap and promoting equity.
I believe AAUW PA could increase its effectiveness by developing a stronger online presence (https://aauw-pa.aauw.net/).
It is important to ensure that all Pennsylvania branches feel satisfied with the support they receive from both national and AAUW PA, as well as have the resources needed to carry out the organization’s agenda at the local level. Generating membership from Millenniums/Gen Y, and also from Gen Z, who began coming of age in 2013, is critical to our sustainability. We need to increase our understanding of how to align our programming and other opportunities with their needs while continuing to hold AAUW’s mission as our “north star.”
If elected as AAUW PA’s finance officer, I will accurately account for our state finances and be transparent in doing so, while working to advocate for increased efficiencies as appropriate.