As I submit this letter of intent to be NetSAP Boston’s next Vice President, a week has passed since the United States has elected its new set of leaders. During such energized times, it’s actually quite motivating to write my own message and share what brings me to the doorstep of the NetSAP Boston chapter. Below are the criteria defining the role of Vice-President followed by my response – in essence, what the job requires and what I can contribute to that end. I know I’ve stretched the limits set on this letter of intent – but am willing to risk being docked a few points in favor of being as comprehensive and honest as I can. Thank you in advance for your consideration.

 

Responsible for creating alliance partner relationships

 

I like bringing people together. In fact, it is one of my favorite things to do. It is an instinct and it is also a practiced skill. In my current profession as an educator, I spend most of my day creating an environment where people – children as well as adults – can interact in a way that brings their strengths together for causes that use the power of alliance for the greater good.

 

My previous professional experiences have included member recruitment and retention at BSR – Business for Social Responsibility, a firm promoting corporate social responsibility. Here, creating alliances was critical to growing the membership and I had the opportunity and platform to practice the task of bringing several dozen potential member organizations the reasons that joining hands with BSR would be mutually beneficial. This was done through researching potential member organizations, communicating to them using materialized media material, meeting with their CSR representatives and then following through with the final membership details.

 

Here in Boston, I’ve been highly impressed with the number of enthusiastic groups that exist here for all sorts of causes. I’ve had the privilege to observe and participate in the work of with several already – Akshaya Patra, ASHA, and most recently with American India Foundation, where I helped organize their recent gala – that entire effort relied on building community contacts and with links within all these organizations, I hope to bring them to the table along with NETSAP Boston for future collaborations.

 

External communications and building the NetSAP-Boston brand

 

Communication within any team is critical and a given, but the message sent out to the larger public is equally important. It is my firm belief that an organization’s reputation is built upon its integrity and consistency of values. As a teacher in a private school in a fairly elite suburb of Boston, I feel like this sort of public relations work is again something I do on a daily basis. The phone calls, emails and other written correspondence I send out must be crafted clearly and thoughtfully to relay the right information in a manner that matches the need of the hour. Coincidentally, our school is also in the midst of rebranding itself ; a process that gives me direct insight on how we present ourselves and I am thrilled to have an insider’s view of such a project, which I then hope to transfer to NETSAP Boston branding!

 

NETSAP Boston operates in one of the most dynamic metros of the United States. The cultural, intellectual, political, economic and social wealth of this city contains enormous potential. I see NETSAP as a natural forum to bring in these facets to promote its goals and missions.

 

Coordinate all teams (social, professional, community, cultural, membership and sponsorship)

 

In the heyday of the dotcom era, I joined several startups (short lived but valuable experiences!) in the role of liaison between various operational units. As project manager for a web content management firm, I was the hub of communication for the engineering, website design and technical teams and the clients to whom we catered. Later in a similar role for an online parametric search company, I coordinated with outsourced companies in Russia and India to ensure the proper meeting of deadlines and required work.

 

Regardless of the type of setting, there is no doubt that with the number of areas in which a group like NETSAP Boston hopes to address, (wo)man power is required – to ask volunteers to dedicate their time, energy, service and talents to our endeavors is part of the job, but also one that can be tackled with sensitivity and respect. It would be my aim as part of the board to generate teams that are cooperative and work for the mutual benefit of the bigger cause.

 

 

Work hand-in-glove with the President in all these activities

 

While the power of one is certainly something worth commending, it’s also an undeniable fact that teamwork is a vital aspect of an organization’s success. As a newcomer to Boston, I feel like a rookie in many ways – beginning anew with nearly all aspects of my personal and professional life. However, the notion of working with a leader and supporting him/her while also contributing my own leadership skills is not a novel concept for me. Just as I bring the values of collaboration, flexibility and an ever-ready attitude to my team-teaching efforts at school, I look forward to working on a united front with the President and all the NETSAP officers and members. This is not an automated process – and together, I think we have the responsibility to make it an inclusive, healthy setting for all types of leadership to flourish.