(Japanese translation here)
As 2023 comes to a close, I'd like to express my personal gratitude to my fellow Board members for making it such a pleasure to be President. Our meetings are friendly and productive, and when we encounter difficulties, we work through them in a Focusing way. I truly enjoy leading our monthly meetings and have come to care deeply for my fellow Board members.
I have appreciated learning from our Coordinators and our members as well. We spent much of the first half of 2023 processing and seeking to understand the response that Coordinators had to our intention of utilizing the term "Experiential Focusing." Though at times it was difficult, ultimately, I felt a bit more enlightened and grateful for such a wise and caring group of Coordinators who are so dedicated to upholding the values of Focusing and all of Gene Gendlin's legacy.
We almost always have one or two newly minted Coordinators join us for a few minutes at the beginning of each Board meeting, and occasionally we have guest Coordinators to discuss issues. Of course, several members of the Board are also Coordinators.
I think the whole Board looks forward to our annual meeting with members as a time to connect, to let you know about us, and for us to get to know you. This year, it took place in November at two different times to accommodate world time zones. Members can find recordings of the meeting in the Members Only section of focusing.org. Both of these meetings were well attended and provided members with the opportunity to ask questions and better understand the role of the Board.
Each Board member has a Portfolio, which is their area of focus. Flor Sassoli heads the Nominating Committee which finds candidates for the Board and ILC. Evelyn Fendler-Lee is our liaison with the Gendlin Research Center and also worked on the development of our Diversity Statements (which can be found at focusing.org/board). Darryl Commings is our Treasurer, and as a Certified Public Accountant, he is a huge help to the Board in ensuring the integrity of TIFI's finances. Veronica Urioste's Portfolio is Good Will Calls, which means that she reaches out to TIFI members to express appreciation for their donations of time, treasure and talent. Patrick Duffy, who is our Board Advisory Member, shares that Portfolio with Veronica. Eveline Moor Züllig's Portfolio is Membership, and as part of that role, she summarized the feedback received from Coordinators about the use of the term "Experiential Focusing" as a means of dealing with problems of automated translation, and prepared a draft response from the Board. And, of course, my Portfolio is to be the Board President. As part of my role, I meet weekly with our Executive Director, Catherine Torpey, and I'd like to express my appreciation for her work. TIFI is indeed fortunate to have an Executive Director who really understands the unique nature of our organization and mission.
To all who have read this far, thank you for your interest in our work as a Board. We are honored to have a role in making Focusing findable. If you are a member, thank you for your membership; it is the largest source of financial support to TIFI. If you have participated in any of our programs, thank you for your presence and interest in deepening your understanding of Focusing and TAE. If you are a Coordinator, thank you for your work in sharing Focusing throughout the world. It is so needed in this world! If you have donated money, thank you for your generosity. TIFI could not continue to serve without your support. I am consistently moved by the number of wonderful people who give of themselves to help TIFI be the strong organization that it is.