by Jen Goe, Disaster Response
EWI of Spokane Chapter President
After last month’s meeting I hope you all left as energized and inspired as I did! As I step into my role as President, I’m deeply grateful for the support and encouragement I’ve received from each of you. Our September meeting was a reminder of the incredible community we’ve built together, and I was honored to share my vision for the year ahead.
I’d also like to take a moment to recognize our amazing speaker, Jessica Bonar, who left us all reflecting deeply with her powerful message of “we are both and.” Jessica’s words reminded us that we can embrace all sides of ourselves—our strengths, our vulnerabilities, our successes, and our challenges—and still be whole. Her message aligns beautifully with this year’s theme: “I am enough, so are you.” Together, they remind us that we don’t need to choose between being one thing or another, we can be all of it and still be enough.
As we continue to celebrate our 45th year as a Chapter, I want us to focus on the legacy we’ve built and how we can strengthen it for the future. In my speech, I highlighted three key areas that will guide us:
- Strengthening Our Connections: We are more than just colleagues—we are a community that supports one another in meaningful ways. Together, we are unbreakable.
- Practical Professional Development: Growth is about progress, not perfection. We’ll focus on learning practical, valuable tools that will help us be our best selves in both work and life.
- Expanding Our Community Impact: Giving back is at the heart of who we are. This year, we’ll continue to make a difference in Spokane through projects that matter, ensuring that we reach those who need us most.
Jessica’s message of embracing the “both and” reminds us that we can be ambitious in our goals while being kind to ourselves in the process. We can lift each other up, knowing that the strength of this chapter lies in our ability to hold space for all that we are, individually and together.
As we move forward into this milestone year, I’m excited about what’s to come. With your support and partnership, I know we can make this year one of our strongest and most impactful yet. Thank you again for your trust, I can’t wait to see what we accomplish together.
For those who couldn’t attend September’s meeting, we missed you, but you are always an important part of this chapter, and I look forward to connecting with you soon!
Here’s to a year of growth, connection, and celebrating 45 years of being enough—just as we are.
Cheers!