FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 7, 2003
CONTACT: Nicole Lessin, Northwest Vista College Public Information Officer
210.348.2011

NVC President is NILD Board Chair-Elect

Northwest Vista College President Dr. Jacqueline Claunch has been selected as chair of the National Institute for Leadership Development (NILD) board. She will assume her duties September 19, 2003, pending NILD board approval.

For more than 20 years, NILD has been providing leadership training for individuals in higher education, public service agencies and private businesses. The organization has trained more than 4,000 women leaders worldwide.

Dr. Claunch considers NILD to be one of the pioneer organizations addressing women leadership issues. "NILD started at a time when there were few programs for women leaders. They helped to raise awareness that there were few opportunities for women." She adds, "It costs money to provide this kind of leadership development and now we live in a challenging time financially to stay a viable organization."

But Dr. Claunch is ready for the task. She has more than 28 years experience working in various leadership positions and has been involved with NILD since 1985, having served on the organization's board of directors for the past two years.

In her new role, Dr. Claunch will serve in the capacity of chair-elect working closely with NILD's current chair, the board and the president until 2006 when she will become the organization's chair. Her role will be to promote NILD's philosophy that leaders are more productive when they support and encourage each other, when they work collaboratively, when they recognize various styles of leadership at every level of the organization and when they strive for intellectual, physical, social and spiritual balance.

NILD offers various programs and services and is best known for its LEADERS program, which focuses on developing women's confidence through mentoring partnerships with other women leaders. "A formal mentoring is required because a role model can help you stretch beyond what you can do yourself," says Dr. Carrole A. Wolin, NILD President. She adds, "Mentoring relationships happen throughout a lifetime but they're especially critical to leadership."

Dr. Claunch agrees, "NILD is about learning from other people in a forum that builds self-confidence and helps women decide whether or not they want to be in leadership positions." She says she is ready to promote this "worthy cause."