Successful associations of today have to deliver extraordinary value to members. Access to top research and curated content, professional development and career advancement resources, and opportunities to engage in a peer community all rank among the top reasons members cite for remaining active in a professional society. NCFR is taking several steps to meet the needs of current and future members by reorganizing the staff structure, creating a new NCFR website, developing and implementing a learning management system for access to webinars and group discussions, and replacing our email discussion lists with a more robust online community platform. In addition, we are updating NCFR's graphic identity.

Staff Organization Structure

NCFR's staff organization structure is in the process of changing. There were three main objectives that prompted these changes:

• To enhance the resources to support current and future member programs, particularly the conference, online learning and resources, and policy education
• To provide more timely and effective communication about NCFR programs and initiatives
• To increase the efficiency of NCFR operations

To accomplish these objectives, we are making changes to our Education Department, Membership and Marketing Department, and Governance and Operations area.

Jennifer Crosswhite will move into the Education Department to lead the research and policy education programming areas. She will now oversee the conference planning process, and will work directly with Cindy Winter, conference program consultant, and the conference program planning committee. Dawn Cassidy will focus her efforts in the areas of practice, most notably family life education and the work of advancing the professions of Family Science into additional job sectors. We have created a new position—education coordinator—to whom will move the day-to-day administration of the family life education certification program and the operational support for webinars and other online learning.

We are strengthening and centralizing our communications and public relations within the Membership and Marketing Department. This area will continue to be responsible for communications, marketing, and member relations, but with the addition of one staff member who will focus on member relations and engagement. We have also reorganized our communications into one position within this department and moved the support for affiliate and student councils to the member relations position.

One final change was to align all the operations support into one area under the leadership of Jeanne Strand, director of governance and operations. Judy Schutz, conference and meeting planner, will report to Jeanne, as will the office manager, a newly created position that combines work that was done previously in two other positions. These changes were made to better align our internal operations which will, in the long run, enhance our service to members.

Staffing Changes

NCFR is a difficult organization to leave, but retirement can be an alluring stage of life. After several years of consideration, Charlie Cheesebrough, director of membership and marketing, has decided to join the ranks of those whose days are entirely devoted to their passions. In Charlie's case, that's his family and his classic cars. We'll miss him and all the talent he brought to NCFR, and we wish him well. Allison Wickler has been promoted to the director of membership and marketing position.

Tahera Mamdani, NCFR's talented director of finance, resigned for family reasons. She divided her time between the United States and Kenya, where much of her and her husband's family members reside, and she wanted some additional time to make plans for her next stage of life. Tahera continued to support NCFR with weekly visits to the office to keep our finances on track while we searched for her successor. We found that person and in mid-July welcomed Rebecca Luxenberg to NCFR. Rebecca comes to us by way of Conservation Minnesota, where she served as finance director. She spent many years at school and working in Portland, Oregon, before returning to Minnesota to be near family. We are delighted that she has taken a position with NCFR.

Work is under way as this issue of NCFR Report goes to press to fill the member relations and communications manager positions.

Systems Changes to Support Member Programs

For years, NCFR conference attendees have described the experience as an annual highlight and the best way to network with colleagues and engage in conversations about topics of mutual interest. For today's associations to remain relevant, they have to be able to support opportunities to engage in peer communities 365 days a year around the world and around the clock. NCFR has maintained a fairly rudimentary system of email discussion lists to support the sections and focus groups, working committees, and task forces. A much more robust system of tools that allows conversations to be categorized and retrieved by topic will enhance the ability of members to connect with each other from anywhere at any time. To accomplish this, NCFR staff is in the process of building online discussion forums that integrate with NCFR's website at ncfr.org.

Another valuable online tool is the website, and today's functional websites offer curated content that is easy to find and use. The content is tailored to the specific audience and, when done well, can be a feature of membership that provides ongoing resources for use in teaching, research, policy, and practice. NCFR's website is undergoing a complete redo, and when it is launched in 2017 it will have a new look and new navigation that will be easier to use and of greater value to members. Thank you to those members who have already supported this effort by completing a website user survey. We will be reaching out for further input from members throughout the remaining months of 2016.

The first version of a third online tool is now in place and in use. The Learning Management System (LMS) allows NCFR to provide access to archived video and audio materials such as conference sessions and webinars. The LMS also houses the recorded conversations on leadership for the Academic Administration and Leadership Focus Group and the CFLE Continuing Conversations discussions. Continuing education specific to career and professional development is a core association competency that requires new tools to disseminate. The LMS is such a tool and delivers archived programs for use when the individual member or classroom is ready to make use of the content.

Graphic Design Refresh

As time marches on, graphic design updates are needed to remain fresh and current. You will begin to see a new look in NCFR communications and materials. Slight color changes, different font styles, and the addition of original line art will now be reflected in NCFR print and digital materials. Your first look at these designs is in your hands or on your screen, with this issue of NCFR Report.

A Final Word About Successful Associations

At the core of an association is a group of members who are passionately committed to a common cause. In the case of NCFR, that cause is strengthening families. Members do this in diverse ways. We honor all of you engaged in this work and strive to support you by providing the resources, tools, and networking opportunities for you to do your best work. Please let us know when we succeed or fall short. And know that we rely on you as individuals, sections, and focus groups to empower yourselves to make NCFR a viable professional home that supports you, your work, and families around the world.