Alumni News

Coro National Announces New Managing Director of Training and Related Services

On March 24, 2008, Scott Syphax, chair of the Coro National Board of Governors, announced the creation of a new staff position for Coro National, the Managing Director of Training and Related Services. This position will advance Coro National's role of supporting and strengthening Coro training so that Coro can continue to build its results, identity and reputation across the country. The position is designed to work collaboratively throughout the Coro system to enhance communication and skill development for trainers, share cost-effective program models, continue work on the written curriculum and new training materials, and work to describe the outcomes and impact of Coro training. The position will also support Coro National's activities to enhance the Coro "brand," coordinate with alumni initiatives, support recruitment, and pave the way for new sources of fund raising.
 
The position has been filled by Coro alum Steven Redfield, effective April 16. Steve has played many roles with Coro - program participant (Fellows Program 1981, Southern California), staff member, center board member, volunteer recruiter, field faculty, alumni board member, and volunteer "faculty" for recent train-the-trainer events. He will also be bringing his experience from the last 20 years of running a non-profit organization, STRIVE/Chicago Employment Service and then helping to build the network of STRIVE programs in 15 cities around the U.S., the United Kingdom and Israel.  His work for the STRIVE network included building an on-line information exchange, defining program outcomes and program standards, managing national grants, developing staff training, and designing new programs - experience that should prove enormously valuable in continuing to strengthen the Coro system. He will be visiting all of the centers in the coming months and looks forward to meeting Coro's wide range of supporters. He can be contacted at sredfield@coro.org.
 
Coro National sees this position as the logical progression from its recent accomplishments. It builds on the legacy of recent Board chairs Vic Fazio and Jill Hultin; the development of written curriculum materials by senior trainers Andrew Haupt, Gerty O'Leary and Andy Thorp; staffing support from Kathryn Edmundson and Peter Chidsey; and coordination with the Coro National Alumni Association for their critical role building the new technology platform, that includes the alumni directory. Anyone interested in getting involved with Coro National's ongoing projects can contact CNAA, Scott Syphax or Steve directly.

Coro Finishes 2007 with a Bang!       

As we begin the New Year, it is our great pleasure to announce that for the first time in its 60 plus year history, Coro has a National Online Alumni Directory. As many of you know, for the last two years, the Coro system has been working to bring technology to all Coro stakeholders, Centers, and Alumni.  Through the Coro National Technology Committee, known as CTC and made up of representatives from all Coro stakeholders, work first started on developing the website that has been up for a year and then moved on to developing the National Online Alumni Directory.       

In a 2005 survey of Coro alumni, the number oneresource that you, the alumni, wanted was a searchable alumni database.  While developing a national database sounds easy, it was an extremely difficult process as every Coro entity had its own separate database, resulting in thousands of duplicate alumni records across the nation.  As 8 different databases were brought together, hundreds of volunteer hours were spent by the Coro National Alumni Association to clear duplicates and create one Directory.  On December 19, 2007 the final Center was uploaded into the Directory creating the first complete Coro database of almost 10,000 alumni worldwide.  Since the National Directory has been live, nearly 1,000 alumni have logged on to update their contact information and connect with other alumni.  In addition, the CNAA has also created resources for alumni, including alumni discussion boards and a searchable job bank. These are all things that you have asked for that will enhance the connectivity of alumni.         

Every day as alumni log on to the National Online Alumni Directory, they make the Coro network stronger. We want to encourage all of you to reach out and connect with your classmates and tell them about this great new resource.  This technology is an opportunity for Coro to strengthen and support its alumni throughout the world.  The Alumni Directory can befound at: www.coro.org/alumnidirectory.       

Please join us in celebrating Coro's huge accomplishment and thanking all those involved across the system that made this possible in the last year.          

Happy New Year,                

Scott Syphax, Chair Coro National
Kerry Lipsitz, President Coro National Alumni Association

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