by Stacey Spiehler
When my dear friend Joy first approached me about her retirement, and I realized it was on me to find a new executive director, I immediately felt out of my depth. I was out of my comfort zone – I had never hired anyone outside the restaurant business, and the stakes were very different.
The steaks, too.
However, my depth, and the reason I serve on this board, isn’t hiring executive directors. It’s concern and support for Mississippi families. My ‘why’ is my experience with my own son, which led me to Families as Allies and to do all I can to help other families going through what I went through.
Step one was finding others inside that depth. My fellow board members were willing and ready to walk with me in this journey, and we assembled an outside hiring committee to join us.
Step two was finding candidates well within that depth, and a truly stellar field emerged.
One thing that stood out to me during Terrence’s interview was his consistent use of the word ‘we,’ because that’s what Families As Allies is – we. Us. Families.
Indeed, Terrence is part of the ‘we.’ He shared parts of his story during the interview, including his remarkable accomplishments in consulting and innovation. I knew without question that he just gets it.
Feedback from the rest of my board and the outside hiring committee fully convinced me that he had not only the family-driven mindset that sets us apart but also the technical experience required to lead this organization with excellence and passion.
I don’t expect Terrence to fill Joy’s shoes. Joy is simply irreplaceable and has made a lasting positive impact on the entire state of Mississippi—and on me.
I expect Terrence to blaze his own path to excellence in this role, and I am beyond excited to see where we go under his leadership.
