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Lynwood 116 hosts Board Meeting
Association President Adam Weinberger (far right) and Lynwood 116 Vice President Tanya Smith (right) recognize chapter members and staff for their contributions to the March board meeting.
Lynwood Chapter 116 hosts CSEA Executive Board meeting in honor of chapter president
By Matt Murphy
A few times a year, Association President Adam Weinberger and the Executive Board take the business of CSEA on the road to visit a chapter in one of CSEA’s 10 areas.
Each meeting held away from CSEA headquarters in San Jose is a unique opportunity for a chapter to rub shoulders with the Board and see a part of CSEA they may not be able to witness otherwise.
It’s also a chance for chapters to open their doors and welcome CSEA siblings to their community.
When Lynwood 116 found out last fall that they would be hosting March’s away board meeting, it was a significant moment for the chapter.
But planning took on extra meaning when chapter president Diana Hawkins needed to step away to focus on her health. The chapter was no longer just planning a successful board meeting, but also making sure Diana’s hard work made it to the finish line.
“The responsibility to ensure the completion of her contributions and work was immense,” Tanya said. “It was an honor to work alongside such an amazing president who goes above and beyond for our members. My primary goal was to alleviate her concerns and assure her that we were capable of delivering the results she expected.”
- Tanya Smith, Chapter 116 Vice President
Chapter Vice President Tanya Smith stepped into Diana’s shoes, filling a role that was a bit out of her comfort zone but showcased how important strong chapter leadership at each position is.
Though she normally handles details behind the scenes while Diana is more vocal, Tanya was ready when she needed to do both.
“Our common passion for helping others and our shared belief in the value of our union is what truly brings us together,” Tanya explained. “Our mutual goal of improving the lives of our members is what allows us to make a great team. We are not in competition with each other. Rather, we complement each other's strengths and weaknesses. Our partnership thrives on our ability to feed off each other's strengths, making our team dynamic and effective.”
The CSEA Executive Board and Association President Adam Weinberger pose with Lynwood Chapter 116 members in the Lynwood Unified School District board room.
Though Lynwood were no strangers to hosting events, knowing they had a responsibility to host to Diana’s standards meant even more attention to detail and triple checking every aspect of the weekend.
“The responsibility to ensure the completion of her contributions and work was immense,” Tanya said. “It was an honor to work alongside such an amazing president who goes above and beyond for our members. My primary goal was to alleviate her concerns and assure her that we were capable of delivering the results she expected.”
What resulted was a transformed Lynwood Unified School District building, complete with a photo backdrop, customized backpacks with Lynwood 116 emblazoned on them, and more.
“It was an excellent opportunity for us to showcase our hospitality and make our members feel welcome,” said chapter vice president Tanya Smith. As a small district, we usually don't get to attend state board meetings regularly. Hence, this was a great chance to demonstrate to our members that CSEA is more extensive than just our local chapter.”
