JRP delivers powerful retreat guidance to Altadena Library Foundation
A clear, carefully crafted Annual Plan is critical to the success of any organization. But creating it is a challenge that takes laser-sharp focus and intensive collaboration. Those things happen best in a low-distraction retreat setting.
To get the most out of its annual board Planning Retreat, the Altadena Library Foundation turned to Jericho Road Pasadena for help. JRP introduced the group to volunteer Heather Tunis, whose consulting firm, Achieving Effectiveness Coaching & Counsel, guides nonprofit and philanthropic organizations in strategy, organizational effectiveness, leadership and governance. Before launching her company in 2019, Heather was Senior Strategist for the Center for Nonprofit Management, Southern California, and Program Officer for First 5 LA, California’s largest funder of early childhood programs and services.
The Altadena Library District provides library services to some 51,737 people through two facilities: the Altadena Main Library, a 25,000 square-foot mid-century modern building by famed architect Boyd Georgi; and the Bob Lucas Memorial Branch Library and Literacy Center, home to the District’s Literacy Services.
The Altadena Library Foundation was established in 2009 to address library capital improvement projects. Now, having played a critical role in backing a successful recent campaign to fund such projects in perpetuity, the group has expanded its mission to support innovative library programs that advance the definition of modern library services.
Heather collaborated with ALF Board President Bridget Brewster; the library’s outgoing Foundation Manager; and ALF board members, to plan and conduct a four-hour retreat.
“The Board is a very strong group of smart, capable people who have done a lot of good planning,” says Heather. “This retreat focused on supporting them in undertaking serious “reality factoring” while being aspirational, too.”
There was a second bonus: Heather was thrilled to learn that participants said the experience helped them get to know each other better and form relationships.
“Working with this leadership group has been both an honor and a rewarding experience,” says Heather. “They are organized, professional, personable, excellent communicators—great to work with and be around.”
” We are so grateful for the expertise Heather brought to our work,” says Brewster. “We accomplished far more than I thought we would in such a brief time, and learned more about each other in the process. With her guidance, we’re now well-prepared with a clear path forward. We are so grateful to Jericho Road for providing groups like us with professional expertise.”
Thanks to volunteer Linda Taubenreuther for writing JRP social media posts!