The Newsletter for Chairs of Theological School Boards
Vol. 2 No. 1

Serving as the chair of a board is a difficult job. For the institution to thrive, it needs a strong board that works well with the chief executive. And the person who makes all of that happen – from coordinating work between the board and CEO, and providing a diplomatic touch, is the chair. Of course, this is a volunteer position, and the stresses of the work and the time needed to perform it well can be taxing, particularly as theological schools go through tumultuous times.

In my years at the In Trust Center, I’ve been grateful for the wisdom of Rebekah Basinger, Ed.D., who has served capably and well in guiding boards and theological schools for years. Rebekah has done just about all there is to do in a theological school, from serving in senior administrative roles to serving on a board. For the In Trust Center, she has long coached boards and executives and now serves as the director of our board development program called the Wise Stewards Initiative. 

I want to invite you to a webinar Rebekah is leading next month that she calls “Called to the Chair: Leadership for Unsettled Times.” In the webinar, she will address the opportunities and challenges that come with chairing a board, and she’ll talk about everything from productive board chair-CEO relationships to how to hold an effective board meeting and engage members.

It’s at 1 p.m. ET on October 10. You can register at no cost here.

I would also encourage you to join a facilitated conversation just for board chairs. This will be a time for you to connect with other chairs and discuss questions like: What are the strategic issues that you are focusing on? What do you want to know from other boards? And where do you need the most support? You can join either or both on Zoom. Register here: 

• 1 p.m. ET Wednesday, October 11.
• 1 p.m. ET Thursday, October 12.

We have plenty of other resources for boards and board chairs. For example, you can find our Wise Stewards Guide, which is a robust resource for boards, here. Also, be sure to listen to our podcast. There's the Wise Stewards series on board governance on our Good Governance podcast here.

If you have questions, would you let us know by responding to this email? The In Trust Center exists to help schools, particularly boards and senior leaders, thrive, and we’re here to serve as you serve others.

With gratitude for all you do in theological education,
Amy Kardash
President