As 2024 comes to an end, so too do the terms of six members of the Council’s Board of Directors. Our board provides valuable governance and oversight to our organization, and we’re extremely grateful to our outgoing members for the time and effort they have invested in advancing our mission. A huge thank you to Rhonda Staats, Sharon Knauf, Patty Slaby, Chamomile Harrison, Rebecca Arrowood and Nat Tarnoff.
“It is an honor to work closely and collaboratively with our Board of Directors,” says Executive Director Denise Jess. “I have deep appreciation for the collective years of service of our outgoing members. Their commitment, varying life experiences and multiple perspectives have helped us to grow as an organization.”
Rhonda Staats attended her first Board meeting in March of 1999, and has brought decades of experience to our Board. Rhonda says that in her time on the Board, she has especially enjoyed the advocacy gains she has helped the Council achieve over the years. “I really appreciate being a member of an organization that brings real hope to people,” Rhonda says. “The Council shows people that you can still do the things that bring you joy after losing your vision. Being a part of something that truly makes people’s lives better, through advocacy, education and vision services has been really rewarding.”
Sharon Knauf joined the Board in 2017. Sharon used her rolodex of resources she had built up over the years to help the Council continue to reach new organizations across the state to spread the word about Council resources and services far and wide. She says serving on our Board of Directors has helped her grow as a person, and she is proud of helping the Council continue serving people with vision loss from Madison to Rhinelander and beyond. “I would like to thank the Council for letting me serve on the Board. It has been both a pleasure and an honor,” Sharon says. “I look forward to watching the Council continue to grow over the coming decades.”
Patty Slaby joined our Board of Directors in 2019 and has served on both the Board’s Nominating Committee, where she helped find and decide on new candidates to join our Board; and on the Scholarship Work Group, furthering the Council’s efforts to empower students to fulfill their educational and career goals.
Thank you again to Rhonda, Sharon and Patty for their many contributions as members of the Board of Directors. Next week, we will express our gratitude to our other outgoing Board members: Chamomile Harrison, Rebecca Arrowood and Nat Tarnoff.
