Dear Colleagues,

Last fall, the Education Law Association formed a strategic alliance with the public charity 1791 Delegates so that Nathan C. Walker, Ed.D. and Edwin J. Greenlee, J.D., Ph.D., and their team could provide the association with management services and direct the publications. Under their steadfast work and Dr. Jennifer Sughrue’s leadership during her presidency, the 1791 team rebranded ELA, built a print-on-demand publishing house, conducted membership campaigns, developed fundraising initiatives, and launched our social learning community and mobile app at EducationLaw.org. 

The Board also appointed Dr. Walker as ELA’s part-time executive director. Since then, Dr. Walker, under Dr. Jennifer Sughrue’s direction, meticulously rebuilt ELA’s administrative and financial systems, cut expenses, settled liabilities, increased revenue, stabilized investments, developed the Association Management plan, built a reserve fund, and increased ELA’s cash flow. As a result, our financial and administration systems are stronger than in the most recent past, and ELA is debt-free. As a long-term member deeply committed to ELA’s success, Dr. Walker provided hours and hours of pro bono services to achieve these goals.

Although the successes with 1791 Delegates are valuable and plentiful, ELA and 1791 Delegates have been in discussions about separating to allow ELA to thrive on its own. During the annual conference, Dr. Walker reported his intention to meet with the Board of Directors to develop a 2024 budget and transition plan that weans ELA off his pro bono work as 1791 Delegates’ last day will be December 14, 2023.

We thank Dr. Walker and the ELA Board for rebuilding and empowering ELA to become a more self-reliant organization. The aesthetic, technical, managerial, and financial upgrades will undoubtedly offer ELA a steady foundation. Please join us in celebrating his extraordinary service, including recruiting and training key personnel who will continue to serve the Education Law Association.

We are pleased to report that Tiffany Brackens will continue her coordination with the annual conference, and she will also take on the additional role as Membership Manager supporting each of you in the various activities within ELA. As the ELA office coordinator, she will hold the position of Event and Membership Manager. Meanwhile, Chetan Patel Theseeya, who helped Dr. Walker build the social learning community and mobile app, will continue to provide technological services. Brenda Graycarek, our QuickBooks Certified ProAdvisor, will continue providing ELA with monthly bookkeeping services.

Our office will close for the winter break from December 15, 2023 to January 1, 2024. In the New Year, you can contact our staff by emailing support@educationlaw.org or calling (833) ELA-1954 during office hours, Monday through Thursday, 10 AM to 3 PM Eastern. And also feel free to reach out to me directly at kpbrady@uark.edu.

Until then, please again join us in thanking Drs. Walker and Greenlee and their team for their service.

Sincerely,

Kevin P. Brady, Ph.D.

President, Education Law Association
Professor, University of Arkansas
Director, Center for Leadership in Law and Education
kpbrady@uark.edu

Dear Colleagues,

Thank you, Dr. Brady. I am deeply grateful for your compassionate leadership and the guidance provided by the entire Board during this pivotal period. I want to extend a special thanks to Drs. Jennifer Sughrue and Julie Mead for their proactive and skillful leadership throughout their presidential terms, which was instrumental in ELA’s recent renewal. Additionally, I appreciate the mindful and courageous leadership of President-Elect Elisabeth Krimbill and Vice President Jeffrey Sun during the initial and transitional phases of our collaboration. It is reassuring to know that such esteemed leaders are guiding our cherished association.

Thank you all for giving 1791 Delegates this meaningful opportunity to serve an association I deeply love. We are proud of the work we all accomplished and celebrate the robust work that the Board, committee leaders, and staff put into revitalizing the organization.

In building upon this season of success, I invite all members and friends to consider taking the following three actions to help leverage our collective commitments.

1. Get Involved. Volunteer to serve on a committee and utilize one of the new features of our social learning community—Sections. These special interest groups convene active members of the Education Law Association to advance a subfield within education law, such as student rights and special education. I encourage you to get involved and stay connected with colleagues year-round.
2. Recruit Presenters. Please invite three colleagues outside of the association to submit a proposal to present at next year’s conference. It’s a big year: ELA turns 70, and we will celebrate the 70th anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court’s unanimous decision, Brown v. Board of Education, that found racially segregated public schools unconstitutional.
3. Contribute to the Legacy Fund. Please also join me in becoming a member of Legacy Circle, donors who have contributed $1,000 or more to the Legacy Fund. You can make a one-time gift or contribute small monthly contributions.

We believe in your leadership and thank you for helping ensure that the Education Law Association will thrive for many years. From all of us at 1791 Delegates, we wish you all health, happiness, and quality time with your loved ones.

Sincerely,
Nate

Nathan C. Walker, Ed.D.

President, 1791 Delegates

Executive Director & Publisher

Education Law Association