“Listen and learn.” Those are the most important words Elizabeth Newby uses to describe her new role as a member of the Board of Trustees of Wilmington College. She was one of three new trustees approved by Wilmington Yearly Meeting at its Annual Meeting in July in Wilmington. The Board of Trustees consists of a maximum of 33 members, the majority of whom must be members of the Religious Society of Friends. WYM has the responsibility of approving all members to the Board of Trustees.
Joining Elizabeth as new Trustees are Christopher Che and Ruth Olmsted. Christopher is president and CEO of the Che International Group (CIG), a multi-national holding company that identifies, acquires, supports, and grows scalable subsidiary companies in diverse industries, promoting supply chain excellence. He will serve as a non-Quaker trustee. He brings his experience as a 1985 graduate of Wilmington College, where he received his Bachelor of Arts degree in accounting, followed by a Master of Accounting degree from Miami University.
Ruth Olmsted has a PhD in comparative literature. She is co-clerk of her monthly meeting in New York, and has taught at William Penn College and Wilmington College. She belongs to the Friends Association for Higher Education. She has been involved with FCNL since 1979 as a General Committee member and served on numerous FCNL committees.
Elizabeth is an active and joyful member of Cincinnati Friends Meeting, where she recently completed her tenure as Clerk of our Peace and Social Concerns Committee. She completed her undergraduate education in communications, public relations and counseling psychology at Earlham College, with graduate work at Ball State University. She has worked in all areas of mental health, education, social work, and counseling in clinics, hospitals, public schools and in the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) as a child abuse investigator dealing with trauma and sexual abuse cases for children and the elderly.
During the time her husband (Jim) was in ministry at the Plymouth Congregational Church in Des Moines, Iowa, she was appointed Executive Director for Latino Affairs for the state of Iowa by then Governor Tom Vilsack.
During their time living in Minneapolis/St. Paul, Elizabeth worked in the Department of Homeland Security and Immigration, doing case management and counseling with immigrants, guiding them through the immigration court process and coordinating needed services. She continues her advocacy in the Cincinnati area as a parent educator and counselor for Hispanic families.
She brought her own experiences growing up in a migrant family to her work throughout her career and into her tireless service at Cincinnati Friends. She chronicled those experiences in her book A Migrant with Hope. She shares her life goal in these words, “I want to live a meaningful and purposeful life serving those who are on the fringes of society … those we as a society label as ‘expendable’ and ‘untouchable.’”
In her new role with Wilmington College, she has added that other goal … to listen and to learn. “I don’t know what my role will be with the Trustees at this point as I am new to this, but I’m committed to being a good listener and to learning as much as I can so I can be a part of both the present and the future of Wilmington College. I’m committed to the ongoing Quaker relationship with the College and will give my best to those who learn and to those who teach and serve. I am honored and humbled to serve.”
Elizabeth,
Best wishes for a rewarding tenure with your new role. “Listen and learn,” is like the yoga down dog pose, a foundation even in leadership roles. Here to the next addition to your extensive resume of service to others being rewarding, of value to others, and continued lifelong learning for you.