Gail Kloss will take the helm of the Women’s Resource Center of Northern Michigan (WRCNM) on June 1, when longtime executive director, Jan Mancinelli retires. Kloss has been with the agency for five years and has served as the financial director.

“There has been a very conscientious process to assure a smooth and successful transition,” said Mancinelli. In the fall of 2013, a solid plan was devised by Mancinelli and the WRCNM Board of Directors which included the creation of a succession planning committee.

An extensive search was initiated to hire a chief operating officer (COO), with the intention of naming this person executive director if they met the expectations in providing leadership and demonstrating the skill sets required to run a community based nonprofit.

In January 2014, Kloss was hired as the COO. For the past year she has been working alongside Mancinelli learning the complexities of the job and the operational aspects of the WRCNM. At the board meeting on January 15, 2015, it was affirmed that Kloss will take over the role of executive director beginning June 1, 2015. Here, Kloss responds to questions about the transition.

What interests you about serving as the executive director of the WRCNM? The WRCNM has been providing services to communities in northern Michigan for 38 years. The service delivery is outstanding, the people that come through our doors are treated with respect and dignity at every level; I admire that and want to continue the standards that have been set.

What is the organization’s biggest opportunity in the next 1-2 years? There have been very positive steps that the nation is taking to address domestic abuse and sexual assault. Those actions and conversations are critical, on both a national and local level, to work toward ending violence against women and children. We plan to continue local awareness, educational and prevention initiatives and be active participants in this wave of change.

What will be your top 3 priorities as executive director? To stay true to our mission in all that we do. Continue to build a strong team within the WRCNM. Continue to bring awareness to northern Michigan communities about the multitude of WRCNM services and the social change for which we advocate.

Women’s Resource Center of Northern Michigan is a non-profit organization founded in 1977 which provides programs and services in Antrim, Charlevoix, Cheboygan, Emmet and Otsego counties and is committed to improving the quality of life for women, children and individuals. For more information, contact the WRCNM main office at (231) 347-0067 or visit wrcnm.org.