Kathleen Ashelford has had a long and storied career at ATD-Orange County.  She joined us in 2009 with a passion for mentoring others, and dove in to support our ever-evolving Chapter Website.  This year, she's our Chapter Past President.  We sat down with her to learn more about her relationship with our community, and what's next for her and ATD-OC.

1. You've held several positions at ATD-OC (formerly) ASTD Orange County. What was the first volunteer position you filled?
   
   As soon as I joined, I asked to volunteer. The Chapter was piloting a new program, and the team needed help, so I signed up. Shortly thereafter, I ended up leading the team.
   
   
2. There are many opportunities at ATD-OC. What about that position appealed to you? 
   
   Which position didn't matter. I just wanted to contribute, to connect with others, and to make a difference. Every role since has been an opportunity to do what I love - to help an organization grow its ability to serve stakeholders and fulfill its mission. Later, I worked on the Chapter website, and then served two terms as VP of Technology. 
   
   
3. We speak of the Past President as a single position, but in reality it's the conclusion of a three-year commitment in ATD-OC's "C-level." What skills did you feel you brought to this leadership level coming in? 
   
   My previous work in software quality and IT involved much cross-functional facilitation, process improvement, and team development. It meant getting very diverse groups to work together. I'm a natural systems thinker, and good at creating collaboration, helping people to identify a common goal and integrating their expertise to reach it.
   
   
4. What skills did you develop while serving as a Chapter President?
   
   I’ve learned things about leadership and true engagement that you don’t necessarily learn managing employees. Working with volunteers requires greater leadership skills. 
   
   When I attended the 2013 ATD Leaders Conference, one speaker in particular impressed me greatly when he said, "when you manage employees, your first concern is what the organization needs from them. With volunteers, it’s the exact opposite. Your first concern is what volunteers need from their service." That was hard to get my mind around at first.
   
   Volunteers give their time and talents because they want to. However, as soon as they lose that desire, you lose them. The key is to learn what they want from volunteering - to develop a new skill, to find peers who can give advice and support, to increase their professional visibility - and help them get it.
   
   Also, anyone who has managed knows the difference it makes when people are truly engaged rather than working only for the paycheck. People give more of themselves when they are moved by something transcendent, something else they feel strongly about. I would like to increase understanding of this truth in the corporate world – that engagement in the real sense is always volunteered. 
   
   
5. Looking back over the past three years, what would you say is your greatest accomplishment while leading the Chapter? What was the Chapter's greatest achievement under your leadership?
   
   My team and I solidified the Chapter’s finances and operations, and laid the groundwork for transforming ATD-OC into a 21st century community of practice. As we did so, we took steps to elevate the importance of all volunteers and their efforts. 
   
   Thanks to our predecessors, ATD-OC survived a long, deep recession. When we began our term in 2014, we saw the need for big changes. Short-term, we faced a projected revenue shortfall of $14,000 for the year. We had to offer more attractive programs, and improve our marketing and communications. All Board members took collective ownership for Programs, SIGs, and Total Trainer -- recruiting speakers, finding sites, marketing, everything. 
   
   Thanks to my team – Jolynn Atkins, Javier Garza, Damion Donaldson, Kathy O’Halloran, Jeffrey Hansler, Sheri Long, Christopher Veal (pictured right) – programs and courses came together, and we filled seats. We ended 2014 with a $5,000 surplus, even after doubling investment in leadership development and marketing. Also, we redesigned the Board itself, created many new roles, including two new Vice President offices, Talent Management and Professional Development. And, we put new processes in place.
   
   Long-term, the challenges are those of strategy and vision. Our members today face a business environment very different from what it was 10 years go. Their needs are different. We began the process of deep discovery, questioning everything we do, and asking, “what kind of organization should ATD-OC be going forward?” The answer will take more than one Board’s term.
   
   Our current President, Jolynn Atkins, and President-Elect, Jeffrey Hansler, are moving us to the next stage of transformation. Two new Special Interest Groups (SIGs) have formed this year, and they are flourishing. Jeffrey has organized committees of volunteers to focus on Programs and Marketing, and other topics. 
   
   
6. How does the work performed in this position mirror the work that needs to get done in a training/OD department?
   
   The organizations we work for – our employers and clients – depend on OD, training, and other “people” practices to help them succeed. So must ATD-OC. Cultivation of strong, principled leadership is critical, as is the need to attract good people at all levels – in our case, members who want to participate in creating a community that meets their needs. This is why we created the role of Vice President, Talent Management. Sheri Long was the first, and made a great start in 2014, followed by Wendy Danbury in 2015. I look forward to holding that role in 2016, to build on what they’ve accomplished. 
   
   
   
7. Tell us a little bit about what you do specifically as Past President. What do you enjoy the most? What challenges you?
   
   The Past President ensures strong leadership succession and knowledge transfer for those who come after her: the President, President-Elect, and current and incoming Board members. This is a challenge, and I love it – especially working with Jolynn and Jeffrey. We three are of very diverse personality types and temperaments; our strengths complement one another, and we share the same vision and values. Our collaboration is one of the most powerful I’ve experienced. 
   
   
8. What are you looking forward to doing next?
   
   Things I wanted to do as President, but didn’t have time! For one, supporting Gloria Hays (pictured, right), Vice President of Professional Development, this year and next. She is the first to hold this role, and has made incredible progress with re-vamping ATD-OC’s courses, workshops, and other offerings.
   
   Under her leadership, Anthony Harmetz and I are piloting the Skills Development Academy. For years, members have been saying they want opportunities to develop specific skills, while receiving guidance and feedback from experienced professionals. Starting in early 2016, the Skills Development Academy will help them do that. We will communicate more about it very soon. 
   
   
9. Tell us a little bit about yourself. What do you look forward to doing when you face the day? How do you unwind at day's end?
   
   My undergraduate degree is in Comparative Literature - so, of course, I love to read! I have a Master of Arts in Organizational Leadership from Biola University, and chose that program for its emphasis on the spiritual aspects of leadership. My first job in the technology industry was writing software documentation at Xerox Corporation, where I made the leap into product development. After that, I wore many different hats in organizations of all types and sizes. My observations and experiences about why projects and organizations succeed or fail were what drew me to Organizational Development. 
   
   I met my husband, Luis, when we were co-workers at Xerox. Through him, I rediscovered my girlhood love of science. He recruited me into the Los Angeles Astronomical Society. Studying the sky through a telescope shifts your perspective. Day-to-day stresses disappear when you see the vast, infinite creation, of which we are a tiny part.
   
   I give time to causes I care about. On my mother’s side, I am Lakota, a member of the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe, hence my involvement with the American Indian Science & Engineering Society. Our mission is to bring more Native youth into the STEM fields. We emphasize the importance of education, but also of embracing one’s tribal values and culture. It’s another way to make an impact, to be a force for positive change.