In October, the UUA Board of Trustees gathered at UUA headquarters in Boston to both meet and be in retreat. During this time, we had the opportunity to deepen our relationships with each other as we do the work of the Unitarian Universalist Association.

Our time together began in retreat, where the Board did some intentional fellowship building, since nearly 40% of our group is new this year. We reviewed our fiduciary responsibilities to the Association and discussed the distinction between board work and staff work. We also reviewed and discussed the 2025 UUA Certification Report. Finally, as part of the retreat, we outlined the key priorities and goals for the Board over the next few years. One of the key takeaways was the need for the Board to focus on the bigger picture of Associational governance rather than minutia.

Our meeting, held in both open and executive sessions, was primarily spent in conversation about the financial stewardship of the UUA (including an in-depth discussion with our Financial Advisors), General Assembly, a bylaws renewal process update, and strategy planning.

The Board met with Stewardship and Development staff to learn more about their efforts to sustain the UUA and how the Board can help. Nearly every board member already was, or has since become, a monthly sustainer of the UUA.

Board involvement in structuring General Assembly is limited. The Board approves the dates of General Assembly, the location, and the registration fees. The Board only oversees the content of the Budget Hearing and General Sessions. During our October meeting, we approved the registration fees and overviewed the roles Board members often take in preparing for General Assembly.

The Bylaws Renewal Team regularly updates the Board on its progress. At this stage, they are entering into a period of study for the first wave of potential renewals. This encompasses discussions with the UUA Commission on Social Witness [Sections 4.12, 4.13, 4.14 (e) and (f), and 4.16 (b) of Article IV] and other Committees of the Association (Article V). The Renewal Team will also be opening the discussion to all UUs throughout the year of study.

Executive Vice President Carey McDonald led the Board through a discussion about strategy planning and how the Board can help lead the Association in a visionary plan for the future of the Association’s priorities. Vice President for Programs and Ministries, Ashley Horan, and Meet the Moment Project Manager, Kierstin Homblette Allen, shared an update on Meet the Moment and how the Board can become directly involved with its own Wave cohort.

Once our meeting formally concluded, many Board members and executive staff took to the streets of Boston to join the No Kings protest. We assembled with UUs from across Massachusetts and New England to live into and proclaim our shared value of justice.

More About Me

I take the responsibilities of the UUA Board seriously. As the elected stewards of the Association, we not only have a duty to live our shared values as best we can in the wider world, but also to bring energy and commitment into the institution.

I joined the UUA Board in 2019, right after graduating college. As a multigenerational and lifelong Unitarian Universalist, I have really enjoyed serving our faith as a Trustee and Vice Moderator. I have been active in many UU congregations: The First Church in Salem, MA, Fox Valley Unitarian Universalist Fellowship, and the Unitarian Universalist Church of Marblehead. Currently I serve as Director of Religious Exploration for First Parish in Needham and as Intern Minister for Sanctuary Boston and First Church in Boston. The work of the Unitarian Universalist Association is essential. As a youth, the UUA helped me build friendships that spanned the continent.