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I had the incredible fortune to count one of Fort Worth Opera’s past General Directors, Darren Keith Woods, as a mentor. About a year into my journey into the wild world of opera, Darren asked me an interesting question: Who is on your board of directors? I was a bit baffled. He quickly explained that a singer should have a group of trusted supporters who can give counsel to help navigate the complexities of the profession (faking a sword fight while singing in Russian, negotiating contracts, traveling between gigs, keeping our vocal cords in shape, putting on a smile at that donor event that was scheduled minutes after an awful rehearsal). Now, my ‘board of directors’ includes many brilliant and big-hearted mentors, colleagues, and friends, who help me navigate challenges that are somehow stranger than using a German melody to beckon Egyptian deities while singing in Italian. Many of these ‘board members’ are leaders in our very own AFP chapter!
Our presenter in the September meeting is John Robinson, who, in addition to working with numerous nonprofits through his role at the Amon G. Carter Foundation, serves as a board member and trustee of many other organizations. Like many of our monthly speakers and panelists who are so generous with their time and expertise, John is the sort of person who wants to help.
You won’t want to miss his advice and unique insights into our nonprofit sector, so I hope to see you on September 11 at ACH!
Wesley, Gentle, CFRE
AFP Fort Worth Metro Chapter President
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