May 11, 2007
Notice of 2007 Annual Meeting, Election, and Party
The annual EFA business meeting, election, and party will be held on Wednesday, June 20, 2007, at the EFA office, 71 West 23rd Street, Suite 1910, New York City. Socializing starts at 5:30 p.m. The business meeting will begin at 6:00 sharp. The party, to feature a delicious buffet, will begin after the business meeting, at about 7:00 p.m. Please reply to EFA's office manager, Judi Greenstein, by e-mail if you plan to attend info AT the-efa PERIOD org). It'll help us put together that delicious spread! But if you don't have a chance to RSVP, don't worry. Just come, and everyone will be glad to see you!
About the Election
The terms of various members of the current Board of Governors of the EFA end in June. According to the bylaws, elections are to be held at the June annual meeting for one co-executive director to be elected to a two-year term, one treasurer to be elected to a two-year term, and, per current board decision, up to seven members at large (MALs) to be elected to one-year terms. Several of those presently serving as members at large—Bill Keenan, Helen Glenn Court, and Ruth E. Thaler-Carter—have since been appointed to chair committees of record and are therefore giving up their seats as members at large. Nominations for all posts were requested from the full membership; all those nominated appear on the ballot.
Voting for the slate will be conducted by mail. The ballots and written notice of the election will be mailed to you as of May 23. Return ballots must postmarked no later than June 9. Ballots postmarked after June 9 will not be counted.
The Candidates
Margaret L. Moser, Co-executive
Margaret trained as an actress and a lawyer in her native Michigan before heading to New York City in 1991 and unexpectedly "doing time" in the world of finance. She abandoned the evils of Wall Street several years ago in favor of freelancing full-time as a writer and editor. Toward that end, the EFA has been invaluable to her in terms of both job opportunities and collegial support. She has been co-leader of its New Freelancers' Affinity Group since 2004 and a board member at large, also serving on EFA's Executive Committee, since 2005. It would give her real pleasure to continue to give back to the organization in a new capacity as co-executive. Margaret lives in Manhattan with her exceedingly tolerant husband and a very bossy cat (thanks, Justine in Brooklyn!).
Anthony P. Johnson, Treasurer
An EFA member for more than ten years, Tony is based in New Jersey. He freelances in several professional areas and, he notes, belongs to more than one professional association. EFA is special in its focus on the free-lancer. The treasurer's role is to monitor EFA's overall financial health, give direction to the bookkeeper, and enable the Board of Governors to make decisions with good financial information. The board has many sharp minds and willing volunteers. Each governor takes the overall health of the association seriously and, working together, the board has strengthened EFA's financial health over the past two years. To the position of treasurer, Tony brings organizational and financial experience as a staff member or consultant with several not-for-profits. Tony has been pleased to bring this experience to EFA and is eager to continue as treasurer for a second two-year term.
Scott P. Bogue, Member at Large
A member of EFA for four years and currently coordinator of the North Carolina chapter, Scott Parker Bogue joined for the opportunities it promised in networking, help from knowledgeable colleagues, social contact, and opportunities to help others. He has been a freelance editor and writer since 1996, after more than twenty-four years as a machine operator, supervisor, scheduler, laboratory technician, and manufacturing engineer. That background has enabled him to find many opportunities in writing and editing training manuals, work instructions, and video scripts, though he has also worked extensively for clients in areas outside of industry. His interest in joining the EFA board comes from a desire to help expand EFA programs and services around the country, and in general to help the organization grow. Based in Browns Summit, North Carolina, outside Greensboro, Scott and his wife Trish are the local service providers for six (rescued stray) cats.
Chuck Brandstater, Member at Large
Chuck Brandstater has been a freelance editor and translator for a decade, and an EFA member and a coordinator of EFA Boston for about half a dozen years. He has frequently introduced contacts all over the country in order to help other chapters and potential chapters besides his local one to develop. As for what the future may hold, Chuck especially looks forward to continuing as a returning MAL to help implement the improvements proposed in the latest member survey.
Kecia Brown, Member at Large
Kecia Brown joined EFA in 2006 and has been a freelance medical and scientific editor since 2001. Holder of a BS degree in chemistry and an MPH, she has edited more than a hundred scientific manuscripts of varying lengths, including abstracts, book chapters, books, grants, and journal articles. Her other professional activities have included implementing and evaluating health projects. Kecia understands the importance of clear communication, particularly as it pertains to health and science communication. Based in the Washington metropolitan area, she decided to run for member at large as a way to encourage and increase nationwide participation in EFA, and to help expand EFA activities in her own region.
Paula Damiano, Member at Large
Based in New York City, Paula Damiano has been a member of EFA for two years and a writer and editor for nearly twenty. As MAL, she would like to help EFA increase educational and job resources for members, and help increase membership itself. Her current professional projects include editing the biweekly NAFE e-newsletter, published by the National Association for Female Executives for approximately 40,000 members, and creating and editing marketing materials for Working Mother Media. She also reviews books for the Journal of the Mensa Education & Research Foundation. In addition to a law degree, Paula holds a BA in mathematics and economics.
Marion D. S. Dreyfus, Member at Large
Marion D. S. Dreyfus's editorial and management expertise includes medical/healthcare writing; pharmaceutical branding and public relations strategizing; copyediting for such publications as Time, Self, Money, and Sports Illustrated; copy chief at Parents; radio producing and TV writing; and teaching communications and business media at Baruch College and Pace University in New York City, and at four university campuses in the People's Republic of China, where she also hosted her own radio call-in chat show. Currently based in New York City, Marion has been a member of EFA for some twenty years, and has also been active in the National Writers Union, Mensa, advocacy groups, writing workshops, and poetry collectives. She has been a film judge for several film festivals and is a newsletter editor for a condominium on New York City's Upper West Side.
Amy Fass, Member at Large
An EFA member since 1994 and a board member since 2000, Amy Fass is a medical and science editor. She is the board's unofficial insurance liaison and coordinated the effort to find replacement health insurance when Cigna ended coverage through associations in New York State. She lives in Manhattan.
Laurie Lewis, Member at Large
Laurie's association with EFA practically coincides with the day she began freelancing twenty-two years ago. The organization and the people she met through EFA were so helpful as she launched her New York-based medical writing and editing business that she soon decided to join the board, first serving as MAL, then as co-executive director, and finally as education chair. Since stepping down from the board, she has continued to be active in the organization. She teaches at least one course almost every year and has served as co-leader of affinity groups both for members who are just beginning their freelance careers and for those who have many years under their belts. Laurie's proudest EFA role by far, she notes, was as organizer of the association's first all-day conference, held some dozen years ago. In the future, she hopes to work on another conference or a similar program.
Anita D. McClellan, Member at Large
New England-based freelancer Anita D. McClellan, an editor, publishing consultant, and writer, profiled herself in the September-October 2006 issue of The Freelancer. In-house she has been a copy editor, an acquisitions/developmental editor and editorial executive for fiction and nonfiction trade and scholarly books, and headed a manuscript services department. In addition to editorial work, her experience includes newsletters, conference organizing, and presenting workshops. As MAL, Anita hopes to help develop relationships with other organizations, such as the Bay Area Editors' Forum, Editors' Association of Canada, Northwest Independent Editors Guild, and Seattle's Author-Editor Clinic for discounted online/onsite trainings and directory listings, and perhaps reciprocal lodging arrangements. Another potential project to boost membership might be to encourage chapters to work with the New York section on hosting regional conferences.
Holly Thesieres, Member at Large
Holly Thesieres began her career as head copy editor at the American Geophysical Union in Washington, D.C., and has been a full-time freelancer for almost two years. A member of EFA since 2005, she hopes to serve as the voice of representation for others just getting their feet wet in the freelance marketplace. An active user of EFA benefits, Holly knows firsthand how these services can help to further freelancers' careers, but, she adds, she would also like to be a part of improving them to help transform careers. An honors graduate of the Johns Hopkins University Writing Seminars program, she also holds a master's degree in linguistics from Rice University. Holly is based in Netcong, New Jersey.