Board Elects New Member, Holds First Retreat

Board and staff at retreat: (from left): David Wricks (brd), Seth Traxler (brd), Arlene Stern (brd), Stuart Frankel (brd), Kendra Saemann (brd), Marsha Koelliker, Barry Taylor, Zena Naiditch, Deborah Kennedy, Michael Parks (brd), Doug Kenshol (brd), Gloria Nichols (brd).

Equip for Equality's newest board member, David Wricks, is a young man who has already demonstrated enormous commitment to advocacy for people with disabilities and the broader civil-rights movement. A 1985 graduate of Spaulding High School in Chicago, David has been involved with People First of Illinois for 13 years. People First is made up of groups of people with disabilities who work together for justice by helping each other take charge of their lives and fight discrimination. David has served as the president of the Cook County Chapter, as the state vice president and as a member of the state board of directors. David has also helped people with disabilities and their families advocate on their own behalf through his work during the last several years as a selfadvocate at the Rehabilitation Research and Training Center at the University of Illinois at Chicago. In addition, David has been involved for a number of years with the Rainbow/Push Coalition, which works to move the nation and the world toward social, racial and economic justice. In recognition of his work, he has received many honors, including a national award and one from the city of Chicago.

"We are very excited to have David join our board of directors", explains President and CEO Zena Naiditch. "He is a leader in Illinois in helping people with disabilities advocate for themselves, and the wealth of experience he brings will enrich our organization."

David's work on behalf of people with disabilities is in addition to a busy job schedule. For 14 years, David was a machine operator at the Halas Work Center. For the past three years, he has been a ticket taker at AMC Ford City, where he enjoys working with the public and the added benefit of occasionally seeing a film or two. David said he is looking forward to serving on Equip for Equality's board.

"I thank God for giving me a chance to be a board member of Equip for Equality," David says. "I will do my best to take the board to another level."

David and Equip for Equality's other board members gathered at Chicago's Wyndham Hotel on February 18 and 19 for the organization's board retreat. The retreat was a great opportunity for the older and newer board members to become better acquainted and think about future organizational directions in a relaxed atmosphere.

Friday night's session included a reception, a "get-to-know-you" exercise and a team-building exercise. The all-day Saturday session started with a brief overview of the organization's history by Zena Naiditch. Then Abuse Investigation Unit Director Deborah Kennedy, Policy Director Marsha Koelliker and Legal Advocacy Director Barry Taylor joined for a discussion with board members on possible strategic approaches to solving some of the systemic issues people with disabilities are facing. Board and staff members examined together the pros and cons and potential limitations of these strategies. In the afternoon, Marcia J. Lipetz, president and CEO of the Executive Service Corps of Chicago and an experienced leader in the Chicago nonprofit, philanthropic and academic communities, joined the retreat to lead a session on the role of the board of directors in nonprofit governance.

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