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As ASBPA celebrates its 100th anniversary, we have a unique opportunity not only to honor a century of leadership in shore and beach preservation, but also to shape the organizational framework that will guide us through the next century. One of my proudest achievements is how much has recently been advanced through chapter engagement. We’ve been intentionally aligning the national organization with ASBPA chapters through a more connected approach to chapter administration and events, member engagement, and shared missions. And most exciting of all – a new chapter of ASBPA in the Pacific Northwest has been chartered!
ASBPA recognizes that chapters are one of the best ways to engage members on the front lines of coastal preservation. They understand and address the nuances of a geographically diverse coast with varied coastal management challenges. They connect coastal professionals where they live and work, creating opportunities for place-based learning and collaboration. They open doors to bring the energy, reputation, and expertise of our national mission into communities across the country.
Last fall, ASBPA co-hosted the National Coastal Conference with the CSBPA Headwaters to Oceans Conference in Long Beach, California. During that conference, the idea was hatched for a new chapter. The Pacific Northwest Chapter of ASBPA was chartered during the ASBPA Board Meeting at the Coastal Summit in March. The chapter is off to a great start, adopting bylaws, appointing a board of directors, and finalizing logo design. We extend a huge thank you to Lindsey Sheehan, President of the PNW Chapter, for the heavy lift that’s gone into chapter formation. We look forward to reading her column in the next issue of Coastal Voice.
I also had the opportunity to attend an in-person HSBPA member meeting and site visit on Maui. And this October, we’ll have an NSBPA track for the upcoming ASBPA National Coastal Conference Centennial Celebration in Atlantic City, New Jersey. I hope you see the pattern. All of these examples underscore our commitment to integrating chapter leadership and expertise into ASBPA’s signature programming.
We also have updated our chapter logos! While they are an exciting design refresh, they also graphically represent our intent: to bring national and chapter activities under the same beach umbrella, if you will. Be on the lookout for the new chapter logos, like this one for the California chapter, to start showing up at your local event space, whether it’s virtual or in-person.
The new chapter logos and the new PNW chapter are just a couple of pieces of the centennial celebration. They showcase the power in numbers and our shared missions, as well as our intent that the next century of ASBPA will be built through personal connections — between national and chapters, between events and people, and between the association’s history and its future.
Nicole Elko, Ph.D.
Executive Director