Today is my last day at Nebraska Appleseed and it is bittersweet. I came to Appleseed over 11 years ago. I was new to Nebraska and looking for work that I would find more meaningful than the commercial litigation I was doing at big firms in New York.
What I found at Appleseed was more meaningful and fulfilling than I could have imagined. It has been the best and most important professional experience of my life. It has also been profoundly important to me personally.
When I moved to Nebraska I only knew my husband and my in-laws. Thank goodness Milo Mumgaard gave me a chance and invited me into what was then a much smaller Appleseed fold. Here, I found people I enjoyed so much and work that inspired me and made me feel like I was making a difference. It is the kind of place that let me try new things, take risks, and explore strengths and talents I would not otherwise have known I had.
It’s also the place I found friends and colleagues that mean so much to me. It’s where I brought both of my children when they were just infants so they could be with me for much of their first year of life. We have had many babies at work with us at Appleseed. How wonderful is that? How many places can you have a meeting about serious topics and serious issues facing so many, while also being reminded of the joy and beauty of life by the smiling baby at the table?
I am so grateful for so many things. I am grateful to Becky Gould, our Executive Director, for being such a good and effective leader, taking Appleseed to new levels, and trusting me with my work. I am grateful to my co-workers for their faith in me and for the countless respectful and excellent conversations and deliberations we have had day in and day out. I am grateful to them for their good humor, kindness, and understanding. And I am grateful for the abundance of laughter.
I am excited for the time I have ahead with my family and this new adventure. And I’m excited for Appleseed and the new and exciting opportunities that naturally come of change.
But I will miss Appleseed very much. I am a better person for having worked here, on these issues, and with all the people inside and outside of Appleseed with whom I’ve had the privilege of working. I am aware of what a special time in my life these last 11 years have been. I treasure them and the people that made them so special.
I hope I can continue to support this amazing organization in different ways in the future. For now, I am filled with gratitude for the past and looking forward to the future.