Leadership Changes for the CROSO Board

Written by Molly MacCready, CROSO’s Executive Director

Beth Lampson (Left) and Elsa VanHove (right)

As we begin a new fiscal year for CROSO, we face a large leadership transition for our board of directors. I wanted to share this post to express our deep gratitude for the incredible leadership of our outgoing board president, Beth Lampson, and to share our optimism as we look ahead to the future with our new board president, Elsa VanHove.

Long-time board member, Beth Lampson, is stepping down from the CROSO Board of Directors after nearly 10 years of service. During her tenure, Beth served as CROSO’s Treasurer for five years and most recently as CROSO’s President for the past three years. She has spent time on nearly every CROSO committee, served as a CROSO Liaison to two CROSO Scholars, and visited Uganda in 2013 meeting our scholars, graduates, and partners. Beth has become part of the fabric of this organization and has been an important part of our growth.

In thinking about this transition, Beth had a few words to share. “To say that I am proud of this organization and its evolution would be the understatement of the century. Thinking about where we are now versus where we were when I was asked to join a board meeting for the first time is frankly astounding. I have seen us grow from a group of dedicated and hardworking folks with limited organization or policy direction, to a professional organization with an incredible full-time staff member who is able to make well-informed decisions with official policies, payroll, and a fundraising level we would not have even known what to do with from the start.”

There are many places where you can see Beth’s mark on CROSO, but for me, the clearest has been in her steadfast understanding of our scholars as whole people. In her letter to the board, she aptly stated, “But most importantly, I am proud of how we have done this with the constant eye on what is important: centering the scholar, centering perspectives from Uganda, and working as partners to understand what our scholars need.” Beth has modeled and reminded all of us of this at every turn, encouraging us to make decisions that reflect our understanding of our scholars as responsible young men and women, capable of making sound decisions for themselves, and worthy of our trust. Beth, thank you for your incredible leadership and service to this organization and our scholars!

While Beth will definitely be missed, we are also excited to announce that Elsa VanHove has been unanimously voted in as the next CROSO Board President! Elsa has been a volunteer with CROSO since 2014, joining the CROSO Board of Directors in 2016. For the last several years, she has served as the chair of the Scholar Support Committee, facilitated our application review process, and in 2018, she traveled to Uganda to meet with our scholars, graduates, and partners. Elsa said, “My focus has always been the success and well-being of our scholars, and I plan to carry that commitment into my presidency.”

Elsa will officially begin her new role tomorrow, as we begin our new fiscal year and will serve a one-year term. “My goal is to help facilitate forward-looking conversations and strategize with all our partners so that we enter into the next phase of our organization set up for success.” Elsa has consistently been a fierce advocate for our CROSO Scholars and I am confident that with her guidance, the CROSO Board of Directors will continue their strong and thoughtful commitment to creating opportunities for former street children in Uganda to access higher education.