As I begin my year as President of Coastal Women’s Forum, I like to reflect on the first CWF meeting I attended in 2009 as a guest of my sister-in-law, Carol Jordan. At that time, I was still working full time in Northern Virginia, but my husband and I had bought a home here and we would come down as often as possible. On one visit in October of 2009, Carol asked me if I wanted to go with her to a CWF lunch meeting. Everyone was so inviting and friendly and I left lunch making plans to come back and join CWF the next time we were in town. I don’t remember the program that day, or what I ate for lunch, but I do remember meeting a lot of amazing women; Gayle Albertini, Thea Kincaid along with Carol Jordan all sold me on CWF. It was probably just another meeting to them and I’m sure they don’t remember me, or realize the impression they made on me at that one meeting which has brought me full circle to where I am today.

My theme for this year is Members, Memberships and More because I believe in the power of our members and the value of a membership to CWF. As members, we have access to women who are powerful, amazing leaders both in the community and in business. We all have stories to tell, ideas to share and smiles that are contagious. As president, I challenge each of you to invite a guest to each meeting as Carol did for me and someday, when one of them is elected as president they will reflect on their first meeting too.