Leadership Transition at the Center
There are important changes happening at Western States Center. This fall, our long-time Director Dan Petegorsky will be stepping down and Associate Director Kelley Weigel will be taking over as Executive Director.
Dear friends,
There are important changes happening at Western States Center. This fall, our long-time Director Dan Petegorsky will be stepping down and Associate Director Kelley Weigel will be taking over as Executive Director.
The change will happen September 15th, and Dan will be staying on at the Center through the end of the year to support the transition.
The Board is extremely grateful to Dan for his years of leadership, and his foresight in preparing the Center for this shift. If you’ve worked with Dan you know he’s an avid student of political strategy, and has strong connections in progressive networks throughout the country. We’ll miss his insightful political analysis and his ability to promote progressive organizing in the Pacific Northwest as critical to the success of national social justice movements. Thanks to Dan, the Center is financially strong—which is a huge accomplishment in the current economy—and is well-known outside the region.
We couldn’t be happier to welcome Kelley as our new Executive Director. She’s been at the Center for eight years, and has been our Associate Director for the past three. Having served as co-director of the Rural Organizing Project, Kelley has deep roots in Oregon’s social justice movement and strong organizational development and management experience. Her ability to ground the theory of political movements in the practical experience of organizers working in the community will help the Center’s programs continue to evolve in a way that is relevant, practical and effective.
There will be a ceremonial passing of the torch from Dan to Kelley at the CSTI banquet on Saturday, July 31st. And we’ll have a special event to “roast & toast” Dan in early October. Watch your in-boxes for more information and plan to join us!
On behalf of the Western States Center Board of Directors, thank you for your support of the Center over the years. We look forward to having you stay involved as we enter our next phase.
In solidarity,
Amy Herzfeld
Board Chair
