The LPGM Board of Directors, and the entire staff, recently gathered on a Friday evening in a purely social setting. It was fun to have a casual and agendaless gathering, in which we could engage in lively conversations, meet our colleagues' spouses and partners, and enjoy delicious Indian food!

Annual Board Meeting

On April 27, 2024, the LPGM Board of Directors held its Annual Meeting. 

We offered thanks to four board members whose terms have ended. Marc Olson (2018-2024) is a former chair and member of the Executive Committee. Marc led the establishment of the current vision and mission statements shortly after he joined the board. He was very instrumental in the publication of Bearing Witness to Hope: Visions of Global Partnership, the book celebrating LPGM's first 25 years. Marc will continue to be a member of the Travel-Transformation Committee.

Rebekah Engstrand (2021-2024) has been a co-chair of the Sponsor Engagement Committee and was previously involved in the Development Committee. In fact, she has been connected to LPGM since she was very young. From about 2000 until 2020, her parents regularly coordinated linen sales from our partner in India. Bekah also traveled to India with LPGM as a teenager.

Julie Myles (2021-2024) has been a co-chair of the Sponsor Engagement Committee, as well as a leader, advisor, and mentor to teachers and administrators in India through the English+ program. Julie has seen LPGM at work in India, Guatemala, and Tanzania.

As a member of the Development Committee, Andy Dahlen (2021-2024) has been leading the creation of a comprehensive marketing strategy for LPGM. He was also instrumental in the formation of the 2030 Enterprise Goals, first devised in 2022. These goals continue to be our compass for our present and future work.

THANK YOU MARC, BEKAH, JULIE, AND ANDY!

It is with great pleasure that we introduce and welcome four new board members. Beth Beenken brings a wealth of knowledge about education and curriculum. Kellie Johnson is an attorney with an emphasis on privacy, data protection, and compliance. Ashi Lema will leverage her knowledge of leadership, strategic planning, and decision-making collaboration for the benefit of LPGM. She will also help us understand the culture of Tanzania, her birth country. Kevin Olsen brings a unique perspective to LPGM's global focus through his life's work and volunteer experiences. 

WELCOME BETH, KELLIE, ASHI, AND KEVIN!

You can see a listing of all the board members here: Our Leadership: Dedicated to Service

With a Glance at the Past, Looking to the Future

During the meeting, the group used a strategic planning framework to discuss the past, present, and future of LPGM. The emphasis was specificially on LPGM's 2030 goals: 

• Goal 1: Be a pioneer of the relationship model in the global development space and share the model with others.
• Goal 2: Impact and transform one million lives by 2030.
• Goal 3: Help Christians in the United States learn about opportunities to serve.

These goals will provide direction to the board, committees, and staff members as we Listen, Respond and Bear Witness to, and with, our global partners. 

After the formal proceedings concluded, we divided up into committee groups to formulate concrete plans to help us accomplish our 2030 goals. Each group carefully considered specific tasks their committee might take over the next 6 years to meet our goals. After much animated and exciting discussion, each committee shared their ideas with the larger group. We're energized by the creative appproaches proposed by each committee, and we're looking forward to seeing them put into action. 

We are grateful for the hard work and efforts of our board and committee members. This leadership is essential to the success of LPGM. We are also thankful for the prayerful support of our donors and partners. 

Volunteer leadership is a blessing to an organization like LPGM, so if you have leadership and strategic action skills, we would love to hear from you. Contact Dan Ruth, LPGM's executive director, at dan@lutheranpartners.org if you are interested in board or committee membership, or if you know someone who would be a good candidate for this work. We are always seeking creative ideas and unique perspectives to keep our work relevant and meaningful.

Thank you (English) | Nandree (Tamil) | Gracias (Spanish)
Asante (Swahili) | Bantioux (Q'eqchi') | Singila mingi (Sango) 

P.S. The 2023 Audit has been published and the IRS 990 report has been filed. You can read more about the 2023 impact here: LPGM Annual Reports.