Vantage point: Vernon M. Billy: The right leader at the right time
By:
CSBA President Martha Fluor
Published: May 1, 2011
For all of us who have dedicated our blood, sweat and tears to advancing California’s system of public education, these are unsettling times. At this moment, it appears the window for placing a revenue extension measure on the June ballot has closed. I hope that reports of ongoing conversations to extend revenues by other means are true—because if they are not, our schools and kids will face devastating short- and long-term cuts that threaten their ability to succeed at any level.
In the days and weeks to come, CSBA will stand at the forefront of efforts to convince the state’s leaders, as well as communities throughout the state, that an investment in public education is an investment in the success of California. And even in these unsettling times, I am hopeful and even confident that the role CSBA plays in this effort will be instrumental to its success.
It has been nearly 10 months since the dark days of last summer, when CSBA faced a crisis of leadership unprecedented in its 80-year history. Since then, we have made remarkable strides in our recovery and renewal. There is work that remains—but I am thankful that we have made so much progress. I am grateful for the efforts of our two interim executive directors, Davis Campbell and Jeff Vaca, to ensure that the work and mission of CSBA continued, even in the midst of crisis. They have been honorable stewards, offering wise counsel and exhibiting a humility and compassion for the organization and its members and staff. I am thankful for the wonderful CSBA staff, whose dedication and hard work is unparalleled. And I am grateful to you, the members of CSBA, for your “tough love,” your courageous conversations and your loyalty during some tough times.
Now we have a new leader for our association, and I am incredibly proud to welcome Vernon M. Billy back to CSBA as our new executive director. Choosing a leader may be the single most important decision that any board makes, and I can assure you that CSBA’s Board of Directors took very seriously its role of finding the right leader for our association. We took our time, even though we knew that many were anxious to move forward. We considered many strong candidates and had vigorous but respectful conversations about their leadership qualities, styles and beliefs in locally elected school boards and school board governance.
I can say with the utmost confidence that Vernon is the right choice for this time. He brings a unique blend of experience in the education policy, advocacy and business arenas that will serve all of us well. We know how important it is right now for CSBA to demonstrate the value of membership—and that is an area where I fully expect Vernon to hit the ground running. He recognizes the value of strategic collaboration, of developing a leadership culture at all levels of the association, and of the association’s human capital. Based on our conversations with him, I know he believes that taking all of these areas to the next level will provide the association with a unique opportunity to advance to a new stage of development and growth.
Please join me in welcoming Vernon M. Billy into his new position as executive director of CSBA.