A Note from Kelley Francis, Outgoing Executive Director
Today is bittersweet. It marks my last day as the Executive Director of Calculated Genius, and my transition to our Board of Directors, where I will be serving the organization in a different capacity.
In January 2020 when I assumed the role of Executive Director, I was unsure of a number of things:
Do I have what it takes to be the “leader”?
Would I like being on a solo team?
After 12 years of commuting, would I like the flexibility to work from home?
Would I be able to get all the operational and programmatic items in place for the organization?
Would I be successful (to my standards)?
If I could go back to that starting day, I would tell myself: “you can do hard things, you got this”.
The next two years proved to be difficult for a start-up non-profit organization, for me personally, as well as the whole world with the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. My work the last two and half years has been a labor of love. I have cried and laughed more times than I can count. Turned a beautiful shade of tomato red with nerves and sometimes stress. I have grown.
I have chosen to wake up each day and show up for our students. The work Calculated Genius is doing to showcase the wonders of engineering and technology careers, the skills and capabilities our students possess, and representation of mentors and leaders in the industry who look LIKE our students, is both valuable and needed.
We have built an impressive, supportive, and talented Board of Directors, that I am thrilled to join and collectively take Calculated Genius to the next phase of our growth.
I would like to extend my gratitude to Kimberly Moore for allowing me the opportunity to serve Calculated Genius, and believing in me. To our Board, thank you for your insights, support, guidance, and listening ears. I am so grateful to have had the opportunity to work with you all this past year, and am excited for all the work we have in our future. This is not a goodbye, this is a let’s go, there is more work to be done.
Onwards and upwards!
Sincerely,
Kelley Francis