Agenda: Alexandria Installs New Board and Says Farewell to Executive Director

Alexandria, VA – The new Board of Directors of non-profit Agenda:Alexandria took over the organization’s reigns at its annual planning retreat on June 14 at ALX Community. Incoming Chair Steve Davidson welcomed three new board members: Former Vice Mayor Amy Jackson, Zebra Publisher Mary Wadland, and Washington Business Journal Staff Reporter Dan Brendel.

The organization was established in 1998 with the motto of “Taking a look at the issues without taking sides.”

Davidson’s charge to the new Agenda:Alexandria Board of Directors: “In this time of intense political division, it’s vitally important to have a forum for civil discourse, enabling informed, fact-based discussion (featuring authoritative experts) on topics of interest to the community. Our mission is to provide a robust set of informative and thought-provoking programs that contribute to the richness of living in such a diverse city. A diverse city means diverse perspectives, and we need to be able to learn from one another, and, at the very least, be able to disagree without being disagreeable.”

Though the Agenda:Alexandria membership and budget has remained small, Davidson is looking forward to growing and elevating the visibility of Alexandira’s premiere organization offering informational and discussion/debate programs, representing diverse and often diverging perspectives – by providing a platform based on balance and absent of bias.

According to Davidson, there should be enough citizen and local corporate interest in ensuring a space for open debate and conversation to enable us to grow our base of support and increase participation in our programs.

Other Agenda:Alexandria officers are: Vice Chair Linda App, Treasurer Beth Seltzer, and Secretary Jennifer Rohrbach. Other (returning) Board members are: Jackie Bridges, Ginny Franco, Connie Hart, and Former Chair Rod Kuckro.

Outgoing Executive Director Pat Miller was honored for her many years of service to Agenda:Alexandria, as she steps down to devote more time to her other non-profit endeavors.

At the annual Board retreat, the Board planned out the upcoming season and decided that the first program of the season, in September, will focus on an issue of interest to high school students and parents. Membership information is available at https://www.agendaalexandria.org/give/