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The Lloyd Family Legacy Search Committee is thrilled to share that WILPF US has hired Linda Low as our new executive director. Linda is based in Seattle, WA, and brings an impressive range of complementary skills and experiences equipping her to fully step into her leadership as the next executive director of WILPF US.
You may find a copy of her submitted cover letter and resume here.
Inspired To Lead
We asked Linda what her top priorities will be when she starts as the executive director. Her response did not disappoint:
“In these times we’re in, I am both grateful and excited to be joining WILPF. I understand that WILPF women are strong and bold, and I look forward to mobilizing this feminist power to rejuvenate, mobilize with allies across generations, and continue to do impactful work together. The events taking shape around us are disheartening, yet WILPF is one of the rare voices that won’t back down on the issues we care about. As I step into the executive director role, I am inspired and energized to tackle the big challenges that we must face together to meet this moment.”
Linda’s first official day is Monday, March 3. She looks forward to meeting and engaging with each branch in the coming months.
That said, how will YOUR branch welcome and support our new executive director?
Will you and your branch think along with us?
We are following up on our previous requests for each local branch to schedule a strategic discussion about how YOUR branch might welcome and support the new leader, Linda Low.
Some suggestions to kick things off include:
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Send a welcome card from your branch with a short description of the branch history and current projects. (At-large members, you, too, could send a welcome greeting with a quick description of your activist goals, passions and why you belong to WILPF US.) Send to WILPF US, PO Box 13075, Des Moines, IA 50310 and we’ll pass them along to Linda!
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Arrange for a public event in your community to introduce the new executive director to allies and friends. This could be either in person (if our travel budget permits and if you can provide a place for the executive director to stay) or virtually. The idea is to create excitement about what this new executive director position signals for WILPF in the coming decade.
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Schedule a branch discussion to ask thought-provoking questions of your members about the role of an ED. Especially, you might ask those of us who were in WILPF in the 1980s and 90s and into the early 2000s, when we had some very dynamic executive directors.
- What do you recall about these individuals and how they represented WILPF in the peace movement? OR
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How do you think the ED should represent WILPF in the peace movement?
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How do we get ready to let this person be ‘the public face of WILPF’?
- Do you think having an executive director will assist WILPF in its coalition work?
- How would you define the shared power between the executive director, the president, and the Board?
- What might the executive director do to improve WILPF's visibility in the peace movement?
- With the option of sharing responsibilities between an executive director, the president, and the office administrator — as well as other WILPF leaders — more WILPF women may seek leadership positions, knowing they don't have to do everything themselves. What effects might this change have? What challenges might it entail?
We welcome and encourage creative and thoughtful ideas! 😀
Please share the key takeaways and ideas from your discussions with the Search Committee by emailing Kyle Grassi via email at KyleEGrassi@gmail.com — by March 10, 2025.
What an exciting time for WILPF US!
Marybeth Gardam
for the Lloyd Family Legacy Planning Team and the Search Committee
LFL Planning Team
Martha Collins, Laura Dewey, Cindy Domingo, Chris Morin, Betty Burkes, Jane Sloane, Marybeth Gardam
LFL Search Committee
Tina Shelton, Barbara Nielsen, George Friday, Phillip Cole, Marybeth Gardam, Cee Cee Anderson
Ex-Officio Members
Nancy Price, Robin Lloyd
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