A fond farewell from RNA COO Tiffany McCallen

In 2019, I stood in front of a microphone in Las Vegas’ Westgate ballroom, chin trembling and words failing me after it was announced that after 19 years of service to Religion News Association and its sister organizations, Religion News Foundation and Religion News Service, I planned to step away from my role as RNA COO.

I didn’t expect that it would be a full two years before that plan came to fruition, but here we are — a pandemic, political and social upheaval, and a lot of structural changes to RNA later — and I’m finally saying that goodbye I promised. My last day at RNA will be Oct. 28.

It is strange to be in my shoes — the last woman standing from RNA’s professional rebirth that began with my dear friend and visionary Debra Mason in the late 1990s. She hired me, her student and a fledgling journalism graduate from Otterbein College, and dispatched me to grow RNA’s membership and to create advertising and sponsorship revenue streams.

Over the years, our small-but-mighty duo and our work grew by leaps and bounds as we added new administrative support staff, the ReligionLink team, a host of interns and grad students, the RNS staff, and the editors of our hyperlocal Faith & Values project. I can’t possibly name everyone, but I am forever grateful for the people who made coming to work every day — in our Westerville offices and from my living room — feel like home.

Even with more time to prepare, my departure from this organization I have treasured is bittersweet. In the time I’ve worked for RNA, I bought my first car, had my heart broken, married my husband, purchased a home, brought two children into the world (and into the office with me as infants), and traveled around the country — and all the way to Rome! — for RNA events and conferences.

Some say your work shouldn’t define you, and yet I see RNA’s hand in many of my life’s memorable milestones, thanks to professional support and friendship from Debra and Michelle and Amy and Kevin and Wendy and Manya and Peter and Ken and Brian and many, many other staff and RNA members.

The truth is, RNA members are special. That’s a trite description for a group of reporters who buck the system in an otherwise cutthroat industry to lift up one another, to share sources and cite colleagues’ coverage, to mentor each other, and to come together in solidarity of a beat that can be fulfilling and gut wrenching all at once. The stories religion reporters tell inspire, inform and challenge us to do better, to think critically, and to love one another as we seek a greater understanding of our broken and beautiful world.

I have stood in awe of every one of you for 21 years, and I will continue to be your biggest fans in my next chapter.

In November, you can find me at Kenyon College, where I’ll be pursuing passions I’ve nurtured in my personal life the last five years as a Zumba instructor and in leadership roles with a local youth soccer organization. I’ll bring those roles to life professionally as Kenyon’s Fitness and Recreation Programming Coordinator. It is a major change in every imaginable way, and I am excited for the challenge.

I’ve left RNA in the capable hands of President Betsy Shirley and the RNA Board, as well as Interim Director Christine DiPasquale. You’ll be hearing more about her in the days ahead, as well as plans for a formal candidate search for a new executive director and supporting administrative roles.

My parting wish is that members make 2022 an epic comeback year for RNA. Come to the Annual Conference in March. Enter your stories in RNA's contests. Recruit and mentor new religion journalists. Donate to the conference scholarship funds. Go to Zoom social hours and Facebook group chats. Support one another on social media. Renew your dues and, above all, keep on reporting.

Take care of RNA for me. She needs each one of you.

Fondly,

Tiffany McCallen
RNA COO