Joelle is a creative and accomplished training professional with extensive experience in developing and managing successful training teams, as well as, background in Organizational Development. Her expertise include: curriculum development, technical training, new employee orientations, employee development, leadership development, and process improvement training. Joelle has personally facilitated over 50 courses.

	President's Letter: January 2006
Hello everyone and Happy New Year! I wanted my first president's letter of 2006 to be thought-provoking and inspirational but the muse just hasn't hit me. But here's what I can tell you: We have an enthusiastic and energetic board of directors for 2006, with a great blend of veteran experience and new blood. Donna Chase is your president-elect for 2007, and a veteran board member who previously served as VP of Marketing. Edna Dianda is your new VP of Administration and comes to us from Intuit. Alan Chain is your new VP of Treasury, and comes to us from Arrow Electronics. Jeanne Underwood is your VP of Membership Recruitment for 2006, and is also a veteran board member who served previously as VP of Administration. Veteran board member, Cathy Mastrantuono, will be continuing as your VP of Membership Recruitment for 2006. You'll see both Jeanne and Cathy's smiling faces at monthly meetings at the check-in table. A special thank you to Cheryl Woehr for filling in as your VP of Programs while we transition our newest board member, Krissy Karatsonyi, who comes to us from the Atlantis Casino Resort and Spa. Welcome aboard, Krissy! Lauren Breslin is your VP of Marketing for 2006, and comes to us from the University of Nevada, Reno. Karen Vetter is your new VP of Communications for 2006, and comes to us from the University of Nevada, Reno. She will be sending out our monthly newsletters and keeping our website content up to date. Tory Atkins is your new Director at Large for 2006 and comes to us from IGT. He will be spearheading the organization and presentation of our 2006 special events (more to come on that below). And veteran board member, Chris Champagne, has earned his past-president slot for 2006, and will continue to contribute his talent and energy to various chapter initiatives. We're also excited about moving into our new "home" at the Sage Creek Grill and Taproom. All of our monthly meetings will be held there, as well as at least one of our special events. As a 2006 member, you can pick up your Membership Welcome Kit at this month's meeting, or we'll send it by mail if you can't make the meeting. Included in the packet are a welcome letter, a membership certificate, your membership card (which has your Borders Bookstore discount number on it), chapter information, and guest passes to give to associates so they can attend a monthly meeting at no charge. This has been something we've wanted to do for a quite a while, and we've finally put it together (thanks Cathy, Edna, and Jeanne!). Starting at the January membership meeting, we're implementing a "Member Spotlight" program, which is a business card drawing we'll do every month. The winning member will have the opportunity to provide a personal or company bio that we will distribute in our monthly newsletter and post on our website. And speaking of the website, very soon you will see a fresh new look applied to www.astdnevada.org. Stay tuned for the big unveiling! Lastly, the same high quality speakers, mixers, events, and professional development opportunities you've come to expect and look forward to as an ASTD Sierra Nevada Chapter member will continue in 2006. We're looking forward to a fun and energetic year, and we hope to see all of you soon. Kurt Frohlich ASTD Sierra Nevada Chapter President, 2006

My Last Newsletter Article

The talented Karen Vetter will be taking over the newsletter and Web site, so odds are this will be the last email notice I put out for a while. I wanted to include a big THANK YOU to everyone I've had the pleasure of working with in my various Board positions these past few years. This chapter runs on volunteer power, and nothing happens unless someone takes the time and energy to step up. Volunteering for the Sierra Nevada Chapter has enriched my life personally and professionally, and the rewards have far outpaced any costs. If you're wondering whether volunteering is worth the effort, I'd have to say a resounding "yes!" So don't be shy. We can always use more help. So for a tad bit of content before I sign off, I thought I'd toss yet another book recommendation into the mix. (So often the books I come across seem to enter my world at just the time I need them. I've long since stopped questioning the phenomena, and just enjoy the serendipity and synchronicity.) Steven Pressfield is best known for his novels The Legend of Bagger Vance and Gates of Fire. His site can be visited at www.stevenpressfield.com. However, he wrote a little gem in 2002 called The War of Art - Break Through the Blocks and Win Your Inner Creative Battles. It's a non-ficiton work on beating artistic procrastination, and for anyone who wants to write a book, run a marathon or start a new business, this book is for you. Blunt, concise, straight forward and broken into small chapters, this book is about beating the fear that lives in all of us when we aspire to those kinds of personal expressions and endeavors. Many of the ASTD members I know are doing such things, and while this book is primarily about writing, its message is clear and useful. I can't recommend it enough. Have a safe and prosperous 2006 and I'll see you at the next meeting! Chris Champagne, Past President

Quick Links...

ASTDNevada.org Last Month's Newsletter

Join ASTD Sierra Nevada Chapter 2006 Board of Directors