A New Adventure Awaits

Dear Friends of the Whidbey Institute,

I want to share something close to my heart. I've decided to step away from my role as Executive Director of the Whidbey Institute. 

For four years, I've had the privilege of working with extraordinary people, helping shape a culture rooted in equity and belonging, building community, creating partnerships, and watching this land and this work take on new life. I stepped into this role with my whole heart, and that hasn't changed.

What has shifted is my own thinking about what sustainable leadership looks like — for an organization like this one, and for me. Good stewardship sometimes means asking hard questions about longevity, capacity, and what comes next, long before those questions become urgent. That's the spirit behind this transition: not an ending, but a thoughtful opening toward the Institute's future.

For me, I'm still discovering what's next in my own life and work — there are pulls back toward theatre, toward writing, toward the kind of storytelling that is compelling, and toward work with young people. I don't have it all figured out, and I'm trying to hold that not knowing with some grace.

The Board is beginning the search for the Institute's next Executive Director (please see their message below). I will continue serving as ED during the search and transition. My commitment to this community, and to seeing this transition through with care and collaboration, remains steady. Please don't hesitate to reach out to me or to any board member with your thoughts and questions.

The Whidbey Institute is about all of us — the staff, the board, the founders, the community, the donors, the alumni, the neighbors, the many hands that have shaped this place over the years. 

With so much love and gratitude for all we've built together,

Rose