Dear Members of the WPPSA Community,

I hope you all are doing well and staying healthy. It has been a pleasure and a privilege to serve as your Chair for the past year, though now my tenure is coming to an end. WPPSA is a well-respected and highly-regarded organization here at Penn, and it has been an honor just to be a part of a leadership team that creates opportunities for weekly paid professionals.

WPPSA’s reputation is enhanced by the many professionals who contribute their time and expertise to advancing the organization. I have had the good fortune to work closely with such high quality board and committee members and appreciate all you’ve done for WPPSA during my term. WPPSA’s accomplishments over the past year have been impressive—and it was truly a team effort. There have been so many noteworthy moments, and as I write this last message, I want to celebrate some first-time accomplishments: Voices of Staff program, Reset & Refresh program, and a brand-new website. I truly believe this is the result of members’ input, focusing on your needs first, and providing a quality service.

There are so many more outstanding programs and support services planned for 2020 and beyond. I look forward to continuing to support the WPPSA leadership, and in particular our incoming Chair, Mariel Featherstone, as she continues to guide the organization’s future path. Mariel has been a part of the Penn community since 2015 and served on the WPPSA University Council since 2018; her leadership experience and expertise have made her the outstanding leader she is today. WPPSA could not be in more capable hands.

Please join me in welcoming and congratulating the new WPPSA Executive Board. While they will not be installed until our retreat in later July, they officially [took] office on July 1, 2020:

Chair: Mariel Featherstone
Secretary: Maureen Goldsmith
Treasurer: Dana Allison
Treasurer: Elisabeth Colella
Communications Officer: Laura Naden

Thank you, WPPSA members, for allowing me the opportunity to serve. Serving as Chair has been a valuable experience both personally and professionally; I walk away with many enduring friendships and memories I will forever cherish.

Gratefully Yours,

—Thalia Mangan, 2019-2020 Chair
Weekly Paid Professional Staff Assembly