Since July 2018, our staff has been spending time in each of the coalition’s new districts, having literally dozens of conversations about how the Network can support you and your communities. One of the first returns on your investment of time will be in the district-level inventories of services and needs, completed at the end of the Summer 2018. This will be the foundation for the work of the next year and beyond (more on that below). 
Here are a few other ways we’re making sure all voices are heard:
We’ve hired local staff: To ensure communities have easy access to the Network, we have hired local staff based in each District. These are important positions based in the community.
Transition Advisory Committee: To help integrate the new regions into the coalition and advise on our future planning, training, and exercise efforts, this committee will work with program staff and the Board for the next 6-12 months. This committee will began meeting in October 2018. (As of May 2019, this committee is transitioning to another committee structure)
Board/Governance evolution: As an independent non-profit, the Network has a Board of Directors and bylaws that structure our organization. We have already begun work on how to structure the Board to reflect the broader service area of the organization. This work will continue in the months ahead, as we finalize and begin implementing changes for the future.
If you have any questions or concerns about how the integration is going, please contact Onora Lien.