Message from the president

• Executive Director Jill Baker is moving on

  

  Dear IAIA members, friends and colleagues:

  After four years of exceptional work and dedication, IAIA’s Executive Director Jill Baker is moving on.

  

   

   

  During her tenure as ED, Jill developed and successfully executed a strategic plan that has seen IAIA expand its partnerships and reach, connect with new locations and communities through major events beyond the annual conference, generate policy and practice impact, solidify its financial position, and advance its position as the world’s leading association for impact assessment. Working with the committed and ever-professional HQ staff, Jill led the IAIA team to a number of successes, including: 

  • Delivery of special symposia on topics of critical importance, including sustainable infrastructure, resettlement and livelihood restoration, and biodiversity and ecosystem services. These events are taking IAIA to new regions of the world, places where it has never been:  Panama, Manila, Kuching. Holding these events allows IAIA to extend its influence into regions where we could make a difference to impact assessment practices. 
  • Facilitation of many small expert roundtables and workshops that provided a forum for IAIA members to interact directly with policy decision-makers in the World Bank and EIB, improving IAIA’s ability to positively influence their future impact assessment policies.
  • Continuing to build IAIA’s network of partnerships around the globe—strengthening existing collaborations with, for example, the World Bank, Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), ERM and Golder, as well as developing new partnerships with organizations such as the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), and the Asian Development Bank (ADB).

  Throughout the four years of her tenure as ED, Jill has been a dedicated and motivating leader. Her integrity and commitment to the values underpinning IAIA shone through all of her executive decisions. She worked collaboratively and with a big heart. We will miss her greatly.

  But, as those of us who know Jill would well expect, she is off to amazing adventures and big opportunities. From August, Jill will join Golder as a Senior Environmental and Social Assessment Specialist. She will be working out of their Ottawa office, and will spend her time working on both domestic and international projects.

  Jill leaves IAIA in an excellent position. Our Association is thriving and the appointment of the next ED represents an important opportunity for IAIA to continue building on strong foundations. To ensure a smooth transition, continued support for our HQ staff and successful delivery of ongoing activities, including several upcoming IAIA symposia, Board member Susan Joyce will serve as the Acting Executive Director during the recruitment period.

  The Board is well underway with planning for the global recruitment process, details of which will be released in the next few weeks. So, if you know someone outstanding or perhaps that person is you, please watch this space. 

  Finally, Jill would like to say “thank you to IAIA members, friends and colleagues across the globe for their support and collaboration over the past four years. I have enjoyed working with you all and look forward to seeing you again soon!”

  On behalf of the IAIA Board, the HQ staff and our members, thank you, Jill.

  Wishing you the very best of luck and knowing that it’s not goodbye, it’s see you later,

  Sara Bice

  IAIA President 2018-2019

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