Reconnecting, Continuing the Learning and Thinking BIG

The Leadership AAHSA Alumni Network, now more than 100 members strong, met last week in Chicago for an annual meeting, social event, and day-long seminar.  Meeting in conjunction with AAHSA’s Annual Meeting, alumni reconnected with peers, welcomed new alums, and moved forward with establishing a formal network by adopting mission and vision statements, operating principles, communications vehicles and fundraising plans.  Several ideas were raised as ways the alumni can “give back” to the field, from providing a Leadership AAHSA scholarship to forming a welcome committee for new AAHSA meeting attendees to partnering with Habitat for Humanity to build an intergenerational home.   Needless to say, this network thinks BIG with loads of energy and a strong commitment to creating the future of aging services.

Alums also engaged in a day-long seminar designed to continue their own leadership development and reinforce fellowship in the “Leadership AAHSA way.”  Facilitated by Michele Holleran, the seminar was designed around the principles of Kotter’s “Our Iceberg is Melting.”

 Alums described reconnecting with their peers as “coming home” and thanked the Alumni Network for creating a community that will provide opportunities for continued leadership development, networking and synergistic dialogue on key aging services topics.  At the close of the day, hugs and tears abounded as alums bid farewell until their next gathering in February at AAHSA’s 2010 Future of Aging Services Conference.

 Leadership AAHSA Alumni Mission:  Advancing the field of aging services through leadership, service, innovation, shared learning and fellowship.

Leadership AAHSA Alumni Vision: A world in which transformational leaders foster healthy, affordable and ethical aging services.