The BlinkNow Foundation has recently announced Leslie Shaw as its Board Chair for 2023. Shaw will provide significant leadership and support to the organization in expanding its impact in serving children and women in Nepal. Her appointment to the position is a natural progression of her involvement with the foundation and her immense passion for its mission and the people it serves.
Shaw has been a supporter of BlinkNow since 2015 when she first heard CEO Maggie Doyne speak at an event in Mountain Lakes, NJ. She has served as a Board Member, currently co-chairs the Development Committee, formerly led the Nominating Committee, and played a significant role in creating the BlinkNow Futures program, which focuses on career readiness.
According to Doyne, Shaw has been a critical part of the BlinkNow team, serving in various capacities, including her contributions to the development and implementation of the foundation's strategic planning process in 2018. Doyne expressed excitement about working with Shaw as the new Board Chair in 2023 and beyond.
Shaw graduated from the University of Indiana with a Bachelor's Degree in Business and has extensive experience in non-profit board and volunteer work, including organizations focused on childcare, public education, and foster care. She loves kids of all ages and enjoys hiking, trail running, boating, and being outdoors.
In accepting her new role, Shaw expressed her privilege to work on behalf of BlinkNow and the families in Kopila Valley. She is inspired by Doyne's vision and the daily delivery of the foundation's mission of empowering Nepal's children. She finds it thrilling to see daily photos of students in the classrooms, on the soccer field, in the library, and eating healthy meals. For her, each child is a wonder.
BlinkNow is confident that Shaw's leadership will guide the organization well in this next chapter. The foundation is also grateful for retiring Board Chair Robert Vogel, who has just completed nine years of service on the Board. Vogel has played significant roles in various positions, including Board Treasurer, Board Chair, and Executive Committee member. He has traveled to Nepal, hosted Kopila Valley students in his U.S. home, and even opened his home to host fundraising events for BlinkNow. He will remain an "uncle" and mentor to students and staff alike, advising the BlinkNow team and overseeing a new construction project.
