Looking Back and Looking Forward: Aspire’s Board of Directors
As Aspire enters the final year of our current three-year strategic plan, we are grateful for the two board members who recently fulfilled their terms of service and are excited to welcome three new board members who will help us reach our goals and build on our impressive successes.
Our two members rolling off the board both served on the Strategic Planning Committee, which included increasing the number of students served, working toward greater organizational sustainability, and ensuring equity and access in our programs and staffing structure. Their support was instrumental in helping us grow for the future.
This coming year, Aspire will celebrate our 30th anniversary. As we celebrate our history of impact within the South Arlington community, our new board members will help guide Aspire as we build on our foundation and continue to grow and evolve to meet the needs of historically underserved youth and the South Arlington community.
Looking Back
Leaving the board of directors are Richard Knight (KPMG) and Douglas Zimmerman (Carefree Boat Club). Aspire is deeply grateful for the leadership and support of Mr. Knight and Mr. Zimmerman during their years of service. Aspire thanks our outgoing members and appreciates their insight, advocacy, and dedication to Aspire during their time on the board.
Richard Knight served two terms on Aspire’s board of directors, during which he served as Board Chair and served on the Governance, Finance, Resource Generation, and Executive Committees. Mr. Knight shared that “Aspire has matured so much during the seven years of my tenure on the Board and it has been an absolute privilege to be a part of this journey. It has provided me with a lifetime of cherished memories. Aspire is an exceptional organization, characterized by its outstanding dedication and compassion from the staff and volunteers, which is reflected in the smiles of the children it serves. I take great pride in my association with Aspire and look forward to continuing to support the team in the years ahead.”
Douglas Zimmerman served two terms on Aspire’s board of directors and has served on the Finance and Resource Generation Committees. Looking back on his time with Aspire, Mr. Zimmerman said, “It has been my honor and pleasure to serve on the Aspire board for the past six years. The joy of the students and the dedication and tenacity of the staff always fill me with pride whenever I step into Aspire. It gives me a lot of comfort knowing what able hands Aspire is in as it continues to have a lasting impact on hundreds of kids in Arlington.”
Aspire will welcome both Mr. Knight and Mr. Zimmerman to our newly created Board Emeritus group.
Looking Forward
Aspire is excited to welcome three new members to our board of directors. We are grateful to them for volunteering their time and expertise to Aspire as we enter the final year of our current strategic plan and begin to outline the next three years. Joining the board are Gregory Frey (Jade Gong and Associates, LLP), Christopher Healey (Grifols Shared Services North America, Inc.), and Tony Weaver (Olson Weaver, Lighting Design & Install LLC).
Greg Frey brings critical experience in youth development and education-focused activities in the Arlington community. A long-time supporter of historically underserved people in Arlington, Mr. Frey shared that he was drawn to Aspire because, “After volunteering for several years as a college mentor, it was clear to me that programs like Aspire were key to overall academic success and preparation.”
Chris Healey is an experienced executive with strong skills in strategic thinking, coalition building, and people-oriented communications. Mr. Healey, reflecting on his experience in the education space, said “I’m excited to join the board of Aspire and deepen my support for the organization’s mission to help Arlington’s historically underserved students develop the educational confidence needed for a life-long love of learning. Through my family’s own experience, I’ve seen what an impact educational support services can make and now I get the opportunity to pay it forward by actively participating on the Aspire board.“
Tony Weaver has an extensive history of volunteering in the Arlington community, including with Arlington County and the Arlington Rotary Club, and brings a strong background in forging strategic partnerships. Mr. Weaver shared, “I was drawn to Aspire by the students I met when I first began attending the group’s reading nights as a member of the community. It is a profoundly emotional experience to grasp the challenge facing so many of our children as you sit with a third grader who is struggling to get through first-grade material. But I’ve also been filled with hope and inspiration as I’ve witnessed students progress through Aspire’s program and — through work and dedication — gain literacy proficiency. I’m thrilled to join the board of Aspire Afterschool Learning and to help in a small way to ensure that students in Arlington who fall behind can get the hand up they need — not only to get back on track, but to thrive.”