ATPE is proud to bring you this series of posts from your board members. The ATPE Board of Directors is made up of 20 regional members, who are elected by the members in their region; four state officers, who are elected annually by the entire House of Delegates at the ATPE Summit; and the most recent state past president. Today’s post is from Region 6 Director Charles Lindsey II.

Why did you get involved in a leadership role at ATPE?

I joined ATPE in 1983, three years after it was formed, after dissatisfaction with TSTA/NEA over what was known then as “unification.” I had held local and district office positions in the other association, and it was my desire to become an active member with ATPE. My first state convention was held in Region 1 with ATPE State Past President Sam Reed. I was hooked and have never looked back. Since that time, I have served ATPE as a campus rep, local unit president for two different local units, region president, and a member of the board of directors. I have always held the belief that if I am going to join an organization, I want to be involved and work with others to make our association even better.

What is your favorite part of serving on the ATPE board?

Serving on the board has been a great experience. For me, the best part is the friendship and camaraderie that develops as we come together from different areas of the state with one goal in mind—what can we as a board do to help in the process of continuing to grow our association? Although we may have different ideas about how to approach a situation, after thoughtful discussion and debate, we reach a decision that can be supported by all.
 
How has being on the board helped your region?
 
Being on the board gives my region, Region 6, an equal voice in the decision-making process. At a board meeting, no region, regardless of size or number of members, has a greater voice than any other region. It has also given me the opportunity to reach out even more, to all our members in the region, to seek the members’ thoughts, ideas, suggestions, or concerns. I use this information to support my position in my votes during a board meeting.

What advice would you give to others who might be interested in serving on the board?
 
If you’re interested, go for it! Don’t hesitate to throw your name in the mix to seek that position. You will find it one of the most rewarding experiences in your professional career. You become one of the decision makers for the association, develop a closer relationship with the ATPE staff, and you have a sense of accomplishment in the work that is done on the board. If you have the desire, you have what it takes to serve on the board.
 
Can you share something fun about yourself that our members might not know?
 
I don’t know where or how to begin to answer this question. Perhaps one thing I can share is that I am color blind. This is something I have had to live with and I accept. Sometimes I wear things that don’t match, and that’s okay; maybe I’m trying to start a new trend. In our meetings, I have a difficult time when we have slides or documents that have all these different colors on them and I am trying to determine just what all of that “mess” is trying to show. I guess I can consider myself unique in that way. I think of myself as a light-hearted person in everything that I do. I have fun and a good time when I can, but am serious when I need to be.

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