When I think about why I feel so passionate about NESEA, and why it has attracted such a dedicated membership, I realize it is because our mission is so strong—NESEA advances the adoption of sustainable energy practices in the built environment by cultivating a community where practitioners share, collaborate and learn.

A few months ago, NESEA transitioned from its Executive Director of 9+ years to an Interim Executive Director, Miriam Aylward, who had been with the organization for almost 5 years, most recently as Program Director. This transition created an opportunity to re-examine the mission and think through how NESEA can continue to grow its community and support the adoption of sustainable energy practices. The Board put together a search committee and conferred with an outside advisor on how to best take on the task of finding a permanent Executive Director. Through various discussions on what NESEA needs from this position, a review of the job description, unsolicited feedback from the staff and membership, and advice from our outside advisor, we came to the conclusion that our best option for a permanent Executive Director already lay within our own organization.

In just a few short months at NESEA's helm, Miriam has demonstrated her commitment, her passion, her deep understanding of NESEA's mission, and her respect for the membership and community that is at the core of the organization. As Interim Executive Director, she communicated a strong vision for NESEA’s future, laying out an engaging strategic plan and staff re-organization. The Board, staff, and members have been consistently impressed by the success of her efforts to balance the budget, grow programming, and remain focused on the mission at hand. These qualities, coupled with a passion for operational excellence and vision for growth and development, have helped us realize that the best path forward for NESEA is to offer the permanent Executive Director position to her.

And I am delighted to announce that Miriam has accepted the position of Executive Director! The Board is confident that NESEA will benefit from her continued leadership. As always, I welcome your input.

Sincerely,

Lauren Brust Moss, NESEA Board Chair