In June, the staff at the women’s center went on a two day strategic planning retreat at the Tulane River and Coastal Center.  With its fantastic view of the Mississippi river, The River and Coastal Center offered the chance for MAC staff members to bond outside of MAC’s office space. This was especially important given that MAC has expanded its family and onboarded ten new staff members within the past year. 

Left to right, Maeve Wallace, Lauren Dyer, Patricia Davis, Brennetta Holmes, Monique Brown, Melissa Goldin Evans, Kira Wortmann, Katherine Theall, Lynda Keating, Stephanie Tokarz, Chardae Cutno, and Dovile Vilda

The retreat was two full days of interactive working and team building.  While there, staff members discussed the future of the Center and how to implement new innovative ideas. They also revised the vision and mission, and more clearly defined the target audience that MAC serves—women and their communities, as individuals with reproductive rights, parents with children and families, and community members. The slightly revised mission of the Center is to conduct interdisciplinary research that identifies and disrupts barriers to knowledge, opportunity, and health for women and their communities.  Our new vision is equitable health and well-being for all women and their communities. 

Left to right Stephanie Tokarz, and Dr. Dovile Vilda

Left to right, Dr. Katherine Theall, Lynda Keating, Patricia Davis, Jonah Evans, Brennetta Holmes and Monique Brown

MAC staff shared personal goals on what they hope to accomplish. Within those two days, it was decided how to implement procedures at MAC that will advance the new mission and vision of the Center and how we should adapt to all of the societal, health and public health changes that have occurred in the time since MAC’s last strategic planning.

Stay tuned to find out how some of the plans decided at the retreat will be put into motion!