Blog
"Because of Kim’s leadership, we are confident and excited about this next phase of Shadhika’s growing impact."
Leadership Transition
By Diane Sigel & Susan Herzig, Present and Immediate Past Board Chairs
January 7, 2020
Reading Time: 3 minutesDear Friends of Shadhika,
Today we are sharing, with very mixed emotions, the news of an important leadership transition at Shadhika. Kim Burnett, Shadhika’s President and CEO, will be stepping down in June, 2020.
While we know that Kim is ready for her next big adventure, and we are truly excited to see what she does, we are incredibly sad to see her go. She is a friend, a community builder, a leader – and she has devoted herself to shaping Shadhika into the thriving, impactful organization it is today. We could not be more grateful to Kim for what she has achieved. Kim is a truly passionate advocate for young women leaders, and she has put that passion to work, along with her amazing ability to build a solid and sustainable organization that is poised for the future.
Kim’s many accomplishments during her seven-year tenure as Shadhika’s CEO include:
• Growing the grants Shadhika makes every year from $35,000 to $250,000
• Increasing the number of young women Shadhika reaches from 317 to 2300
• Creating a college scholarship program for young women, with 60 participants to date.
• Organizing an annual convening of young women leaders in India, whose women’s rights projects reached more than 5,000 other young women in 2019
• Enabling 99% of the girls and young women Shadhika serves to graduate from high school and avoid early, forced marriage
In collaboration with Kim the board is developing a plan for a smooth leadership transition, including the search for a new executive director who will embrace and carry out Shadhika’s vision. During the transition we will continue to gather input from you, our community, and share progress updates. Because of Kim’s leadership, we are confident and excited about this next phase of Shadhika’s growing impact. Kim has built an effective and strong organization and her accomplishments will continue to guide and inspire us for the work ahead. She has set up Shadhika for a bright future, and we will build on that success in the months and years ahead.
Please let us know if you have questions, any thoughts you’d like to share with us, or if you’d like to discuss the work of Shadhika. We look forward to partnering with you to realize Shadhika’s next chapter.
With profound gratitude to you for sustaining Shadhika’s mission to empower young women leaders for change,
Diane Sigel, Board Chair, 2020-2022 | dianesigel@gmail.com
Susan Herzig, Immediate Past Chair | susan@hertzmann.net