Dear Friends of IEA,
I write today with bittersweet news. After more than 25 years of incredible service, Betsy Jones has decided to begin her transition from President of IEA to Senior Advisor starting later this year. While we as a board will miss Betsy’s daily leadership of the organization, we are greatly supportive of her decision and excited for her well-deserved next phase. We are proud and grateful for the work and accomplishments she has made as Co-Founder and President of IEA and are humbled by the opportunity to shepherd and grow this organization through the next 25+ years of serving our community.
Since 1993, IEA has served 11,600 gifted children with passion and dedication. Our programs touch and change lives both locally and nationally, are award-winning in their field, and unique in their approach to serving all parts of a gifted child’s being. Our research continues to influence policy nationally, and to be used by organizations across the US to advocate for gifted youth. As we journey ahead, Betsy has built an unparalleled platform on which to evolve and scale to reach even more children. She will remain deeply committed to ensuring we accomplish our mission of holistically supporting each child in our community.
I have known Betsy for 21 years since I became a Caroline D Bradley scholar in 2002. I will personally miss Betsy’s everyday presence, and I know I am not alone. While this is a big change for the organization, IEA is blessed by talented and long-tenured IEA staff, an Advisory Board that is deeply embedded within the gifted ecosystem, and a Board of Directors composed of individuals that have known and served IEA together for decades. We have known about and planned for this day and have already been working with Betsy to set up the structures necessary for new leadership to be successful.
The Board of Directors is committed to making this a smooth transition. We have hired Morris & Berger, a nationally recognized, Pasadena-based search firm that specializes in non-profits and educational institutions. They will work with the board search committee which is made up of experienced and passionate board members. Betsy will remain in her current role until the next President officially starts. We have also asked Betsy to continue to work with us as Senior Advisor to the new leadership and the organization.
Please join us in wishing Betsy well in this next phase—we are deeply grateful for her inspirational leadership and her impact on the lives of thousands of students.
Sincerely,
Byron Lichtenstein
Board Chair, Institute for Educational Advancement