For several months over the spring, the POP Project actively searched for additional board members for our team. Today, we are happy to announce that we have two new members who are dedicated to advancing POP’s mission in the community through growth and additional opportunities.
NEW BOARD MEMBERS
Joanna Bolick, Board Member
Joanna is a Reading and English Instructor and Chair of the Department of Developmental Studies at A-B Tech Community College. In addition, she is pursuing a doctoral degree in Educational Leadership through Appalachian State University. Joanna has already been instrumental in helping POP secure a new storage opportunity.
Lisa Coffey, Board Member
Lisa is a nonprofit capacity-building consultant and grant writer for organizations in Asheville and across the country. Lisa has worked with POP over the past year to secure grants for culturally and socially relevant books for Asheville-area youth (Glass Foundation) and to install free little libraries in the community (Duke Energy Foundation).
CONTINUING BOARD MEMBERS
Jim MacKenzie, Executive Director & Chairman of the Board
Jim is the founder and director of the POP Project. He has been dedicated to furthering literacy in WNC since well before POP got its official start in 2009. As executive director of the POP Project, Jim is the acting chairperson of the board. He is responsible for presiding over meetings, but does not receive a vote in board decisions.
Leslie Hawkins, Vice Chair
Leslie is the owner of Spellbound Children’s Bookshop in Merrimon Square, which has been in Asheville for over 10 years, and a host to one of the POP Project’s drop boxes. As vice chair, Leslie presides over board meetings in the absence of the director.
Sarah Giavedoni, Secretary of the Board
Sarah has been a volunteer with the POP Project since the organization began in 2009. She currently works in the Beverly-Hanks & Associates marketing department. As secretary, Sarah is responsible for keeping the minutes at board meetings and organizing internal and federal paperwork.
Rosanna Mulcahy, Treasurer
Rosanna is a small business lender and Latino program coordinator at Mountain Bizworks, Asheville’s premier CDFI. As treasurer, Rosanna oversees the POP Project’s funds and monies, including helping plan budgets and prepare for fundraisers.
Elizabeth Garzarelli, Acting Spokesperson
Elizabeth is an executive recruiter with a firm that specializes in publishing and digital media, and is also a Licensed Professional Counselor. As acting spokesperson, Elizabeth is our contact to the public should the executive director be unavailable or have a conflict of interest.
WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT
POP’s board met with its new members for the first time last week, following an orientation and training session in late July. We are already planning great things for this fall and beyond! At last week’s meeting we discussed the 2016 Give!Local campaign, installing little libraries in the community, and ideas for Banned Books Week in September, among several other topics.
POP has recently been going through a number of changes associated with our growth. This board is already poised to take those changes in a great direction—for the benefit of the POP Project and the community. Stay tuned for more information about our developing projects, how you can participate in upcoming events, and the impact POP is making in the community thanks to the hard work and insight of our new team.
