Dear Members,

The year 2020 has brought some unexpected changes, and at MATI we have been trying to keep up with new developments as they happen.  The pandemic has redefined and rearranged the way we communicate with others and do business. Just the other day I was thinking that blowing out the candles on a cake will no longer be possible. That is, unless we want to eat the whole cake!

MATI has increased its offerings in continuing education opportunities for our members. The board has been quite busy planning and adapting to the new normal, as yet still undefined. We offer a monthly lineup for professional development that can be checked on our website, and that also includes some free webinars for our members.

The social distancing norms also pushed us to postpone the MATI 17th Annual Conference planned to take place in Milwaukee this year. We understand that due to the crisis, many professionals will choose to spend money on more essential things, and that a conference may not be their main focus.

However, we are planning to offer a half-day training on September 12, the same day we had scheduled our original conference. We expect this to be a virtual event. More information will be posted soon.

We are revamping our website, and with that, we will have a much-needed fresh look and easy to navigate features, which will allow external consumers to find professionals among our members more easily through our membership directory.

Last, we just concluded our elections and we have a new group of officers. This year, Ghada Shakir, Enrica Ardemagni, Daina Jauntirans, and Manuela Francavilla will be leaving us. Their terms have come to an end, and on behalf of the board, I cannot thank them enough for their contributions. I know they will continue assisting our association through our committees and will still be actively involved in our activities.

I also want to welcome to the board Kate Jankowski, Amy Polenske, Kelley Salas, Maggie Hong, and Enric Mallorquí Ruscalleda. Our virtual board installation and board retreat will take place on June 27. Details will be posted on our website and will follow via email as well. I encourage all of you to participate. Last, I want to thank the members who participated in the elections, who expressed interest and who assisted in making this a smooth process.

Please stay safe and cherish your family and loved ones. We have learned the hard way how essential we are as professionals and how fragile we are as humans.

Cordially, Christina Green, MATI President