No Images? Click here Dear Community Action Colleagues, As many of you know, I am leaving CAPLAW. I am deeply grateful to have had the chance to work with you and your colleagues across the Community Action network over the last 16 years. Community Action exemplifies the best of our nation. We are people – of different political perspectives, different races and ethnicities, different religions, different incomes – coming together in communities across the country, working with our neighbors with low-incomes to determine what they need to succeed and finding ways to meet those needs. At a time when trust in the institutions of our society is eroding, Community Action is working to re-build that trust. We are changing people’s lives, embodying the spirit of hope, improving communities, and making America a better place to live. I am proud to have served alongside you in the Community Action network and hope to continue to support the network’s efforts after leaving my role as CAPLAW’s Executive Director. Thanks to the efforts of the CAPLAW Board under the leadership of President Jerralynn Ness – and David Brightbill before her – CAPLAW is well poised to help guide the network through future challenges to continued success. The Board has appointed CAPLAW’s Deputy Director Allison Ma’luf to succeed me as Executive Director. Many of you have worked with Allison over the 11+ years she has been with CAPLAW. Allison has a deep knowledge of the network and the legal, governance, and compliance issues Community Action Agencies face – and great sense of humor! CAPLAW will be in good hands under her management. I will be joining the nonprofit practice of the Boston law firm Hemenway & Barnes. You can reach me there by email at eevans@hembar.com or by phone at 617-557-9711. I look forward to staying in touch! Thank you for your support of CAPLAW over the years and for allowing us to assist you in the critical work you do each day. I wish you the best as you continue to fulfill the Community Action promise. Warmly, Eleanor Evans Dear Community Action Family, I am incredibly excited and humbled by the chance to lead CAPLAW as its new Executive Director and General Counsel. Every day I am motivated by the opportunity to work directly with community action agencies (CAAs) as they change lives. I have learned and grown so much in my 11+ years of helping the Community Action network navigate the evolving and often complicated legal framework that governs our CAAs. Serving the network with compassion, intellect, humor and goodwill is of utmost importance to me. In my new role, I will explore innovative and practical ways to bolster CAPLAW's impact while laying the groundwork for our organization to grow and secure a viable future. Ensuring that the legal needs of our network are met through the most effective and efficient means underpins everything we do, and will continue to be a driving force as we look towards the future. CAPLAW is a strong, vibrant organization because of our board leadership and the talent we are able to attract and retain. I want to take a moment to recognize our incredible, hardworking staff – our legal counsel – Veronica Zhang, Jonathan Cohen and our new attorney joining us in late August, Caroline Kelley, as well as Ashley Billingsley who oversees our operations and Elle Enander who manages our communications and events. I am very fortunate to be a part of and supported by this team of consummate professionals. I am proud to serve the Community Action network and energized to work alongside each of you in the fight against the economic disenfranchisement impacting our communities. I look forward to strengthening existing relationships while forging new ones as we strive for a better future for the people and communities we serve. Best, Allison Ma'luf |