Dear friends,

I wanted you to know that I’ve decided that the time is right for me to step down as the President & Executive Director of Goodman Community Center.

I’ve been feeling ready for a new chapter in my story for some time now, but I didn’t want to leave until I was sure Goodman could move forward in strength. Now, with the most recent challenges behind us, I feel confident that Goodman will find the right person to lead the organization into the next part of its story, and I can write the next part of mine.

I have accepted the role as the new President of Family Services of Northeast Wisconsin in Green Bay. Like GCC, it is an organization that works to give children and families what they need to thrive. My last day with Goodman will be May 30.

I cannot tell you how proud I have been to be a part of this beautiful organization and Madison’s diverse community. Every day I am in awe of how Goodman brings people together in fellowship and compassion. It has been my privilege to be your president and executive director, and now I look forward to being a supporter, donor, and friend.

With deepest gratitude,

Letesha Nelson

President & Executive Director Goodman Community Center

On behalf of the board of directors and the whole Goodman Community Center family — staff, volunteers, participants, donors, neighbors, and friends — I would like to thank Letesha Nelson for her extraordinary service to our organization and to all of Madison.

Letesha ably guided us through some of the most difficult challenges Goodman has faced in our 70-year history, including completely reinventing how Goodman served the public during the pandemic shutdown — providing a safe place for hundreds of children to learn — and then rebuilding the organization afterward.

Through it all, Letesha has led with compassion, energy, and a deep respect for the dignity and humanity of every person Goodman touches. She leveraged that compassion into action, including championing Goodman’s living-wage initiative. This groundbreaking effort, to support the staff who make our work possible, challenged not only our organization but all of our peers to do better and be better.

We are deeply grateful to Letesha for her years of service. We wish her the very best as she moves on to serve a new community.

If you wish to reach out to Letesha before she departs, her email address is president@goodmancenter.org. And if you would like to join me in making a gift in honor of Letesha, you can do so at www.goodmancenter.org/donate or contact Noah Salata, our vice president of philanthropy and community engagement, at

nsalata@goodmancenter.org.

The board is currently engaged in the process of leadership transition planning. We intend to appoint an interim director to lead GCC by the end of May. The interim director will serve while we conduct a careful search for a leader who can support this critical organization as it evolves alongside our community.

I invite our community to contribute ideas and feedback for the transition process and the new director search. You can submit your thoughts by email to board@goodmancenter.org.

We look to move forward in strength as Goodman Community Center continues to strengthen lives and secure futures.

With gratitude,

Steve King

President, Board of Directors Goodman Community Center

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