Published: Nov. 9, 2024
Your Western Friend Board of Directors is pleased to announce that Caitlin Churchill will be our new Editor/Executive Director, starting on January 1, 2025.
Western Friend received applications from many qualified candidates for this position, resulting in three final face-to-face interviews. While any of those three candidates would have been excellent in this position, Caitlin rose to the top.
Caitlin introduced herself to us, in part, with this brief sketch: “I first became aware of Quakers when my grandmother sent me to Friends Camp in South China, Maine. As a young adult, I returned to camp as its cook, then drove cross-country to the Breitenbush Retreat Center in Oregon, where I met my partner. I have since been employed in communications by two Quaker organizations, Right Sharing of World Resources and Quaker Voluntary Service. In the role of editor for Western Friend, I hope to invite a wide variety of Friends to share their stories, gifts, and experiences with the publication. I also look forward to connecting personally with Friends throughout the West.”
The board was impressed by Caitlin’s ability to apply creative thought to big-picture questions about opportunities and challenges that Friends face today. She expressed a strong commitment to building relationships across ages and places throughout the West, and she is well grounded in her Quaker beliefs and practices. She will bring a young adult perspective to her work, and she is a pleasure to get to know.
Mary Klein has committed to working through a transition period, and the board has formed a transition committee to support Caitlin as well. We are excited and thankful, and we hope you join in our sense of celebration.
Please welcome Caitlin to her new role when she begins in January.