On Monday, February 25, over 70 people came to the St. Gregory Hotel, Washington, DC, to celebrate ESC’s successful leadership transition and welcome Vernice Miller-Travis as the new executive director.  Former staff members, representatives from nonprofit and government agencies, donors and friends mingled with current staff and board members.

In her welcoming remarks, Vernice acknowledged the leadership of the Board of Directors of ESC in managing the executive transition.  She lifted up founding Executive Director Jim Abernathy, who was in attendance, for his extraordinary leadership of ESC in its first seventeen years of existence.  Vernice also made special mention of Judy Hatcher, Director of Programs, and Donna Munoz, Director of Finance and Administration, for their exceptional co-direction of ESC throughout most of 2007, and thanked all of ESC’s staff for their dedication and commitment.

Vernice shared that she was especially drawn to ESC because it is intentionally transforming into an anti-racist organization.  She quoted ESC’s dismantling racism goals, “Dismantling racism removes the barrier to power and access for grassroots organizations by building capacity for transformation. The Environmental Support Center helps organizations achieve this by providing them resources.  As a result, grassroots organizations can achieve their goals – a clean, healthy environment (clean air, water, and lands) for all.”   

The Environmental Support Center is grateful to the following supporters for their generous financial and in-kind contributions to this event: 

Patricia Bauman

Citi Smith Barney

Raffa and Associates ( www.raffa.com)

Sierra Club (www.sierraclub.org)

St. Gregory Hotel (www.capitolhotelssdc.com)

The EPA’s Marva King and Kedesch Altidor were among the well-wishers at the reception.

Click here for more photos of the reception