Re: GWA electronic ballot

**W*@aol.com**

>>In a message dated 8/8/2007 6:25:50 PM Eastern Daylight Time, 
paradisegardener@hotmail.com writes:

If you've seen the bios and still want a bit more info, I'm happy to oblige. 
<<

I'm nominated for Region 2 Director. Here is the full bio that I submitted to 
GWA - probably overkill, but my first such nomination and wasn't sure how 
much got used or not. In any case, I think in general there is no actual 
campaigning for GWA elections as such becuase that is not the type of culture our 
organization has established. Should that change? As GWA gets bigger, it only 
makes sense that fewer of us will be able to physically meet up in person and 
really get to know each other. Because of that, we have to start being procative 
in reaching out to each other. I think this list is a good tool in that 
direction.

My nominee bio:

After working for 15 years in association publishing (both trade and 
professional organizations), I was looking for an opportunity to strike out on my own. 
In my previous jobs, I had revamped a few magazines, launched several 
newsletters (both print and online), and oversaw web site designs. 

I am a life-long gardener, but for the past 5 years or so I'd really caught 
the bug. Looking around I saw that the DC (MidAtlantic) region had a wonderful, 
rich gardening and farming community, but they were being practically ignored 
by national publications. Most stories you see on HGTV or in gardening 
magazines portray gardening in three parts of the country: the Northeast, deep 
South, and West Coast (esp. California). None of these stories on other areas 
applied to our local zones and it was frustrating. I began to formulate the idea of 
a local publication for gardeners with tips they could actually use - not 
just sigh over the pretty pictures or read only to think it was out of their 
abilities. 
For about a year or two, I toyed with different format ideas (online vs 
print, newsletter vs full-color mag) and ran the numbers over and over. For a while 
I planned to do the "smart thing" and launch the publication while still at 
my current job and leave only when the income from the new business equaled at 
least one-third of my salary. Finally, I decided to take the plunge and gave 
notice at my last job - that ended on 12/31/04 and Washington Gardener Magazine 
began on 1/1/05. 
Currently, I am President of the Takoma Horticultural Club and on the board 
of the Silver Spring Garden Club, both are large regional garden clubs with 
long, prestigious histories. Both clubs are over 150 members strong and growing. 
I'm also a member of a number of other local and regional gardening groups. 
I have been a member of GWA since shortly before launching the magazine, so 
almost 3 years now. I have attended a number of regional meetings and last 
year's national event where I was ecstastic to meet and network with fellow GWA 
members. Currently, I'm co-planning the GWA Region II Meeting in Washington DC 
on June 25 and we are eagerly looking forward to showing off just a few of this 
city's incredible gardens.  
As someone who was a career association communicator before making the switch 
to fulltime garden writing, I truly believe in the power and importance of 
joining and being active in member-driven organizations. By building on each 
others' strengths, we can make this association a truly vibrant community -- like 
the old adage says: a rising tide lifts all boats.

# # # 

Sincerely,
Kathy Jentz
Editor/Publisher
Washington Gardener Magazine
826 Philadelphia Ave.
Silver Spring MD 20910
301-588-6894
editor@washingtongardener.com
_http://www.washingtongardener.com/_ (http://www.washingtongardener.com/) 

Our mission: to help your Washington, DC, area garden grow better!
Subscribe today for $20 a year by sending a check to the address above.
The magazine makes a great gift for gardening friends!

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