UNA-USA Ushers in a New Era of Leadership

To every season, there is a reason...or so they say. The past two years of my leadership in the UNA YPIC Leadership Council have been a combination of joy, challenge, frustration and opportunity. Overwhelmingly, the United Nations have always been a passion of mine, and I suppose it makes sense seeing that I am Indian-Afghani-Irish-English-German-Austrian-Gypsy (or as my grandmother says, Bohemian). The organization by which I contribute my enthusiasm and passion is the United Nations Association.

As I get ready to close out my two year tenure on the board of directors as the YPIC representative on the national board and hand off the reins to my successor out of North Carolina, the organization is also seeing the end of an era of leadership and welcoming in a new face to the ranks of our organizational leadership.

Ambassador Tom Miller, though I have yet to meet him, will officially be taking the helm of UNA-USA in a private reception at the United Nations care of Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon the first week of June. Ambassador Luers will be formally thanked for his 11 years of service to the organization at the reception. The many grassroots leaders across the country from UNA-USA will welcome him in person at the national convention June 12 - 14, 2009 in Washington D.C. and I will also finally meet him in person.

He led Plan International, the world’s largest nongovernmental children’s aid and community development organization, thus he has the non-profit experience that we desperately need in this tumultuous time. He promises change, a chorus that appeals to even the greatest of cynics right now. It is perhaps coincidence or fate that we as a nation are undergoing dramatic change simultaneous to our own organizational challenges and opportunities.

“I’ve got a lot of energy and a lot of willingness to be open,” Ambassador Miller said “I’ve got a very open mind for the kinds of things we should take on. I also know that we can’t do everything.” But he added that he has little tolerance for those who, faced with change, say, “We’ve always done it this way.”

I, for one, choose to be optimistic about the future and heartily welcome this new member of our organization. I look forward to meeting him in Washington and discussing some of the ideas we have for the future ahead. Please read his full interview regarding his thoughts for the UN here.

“I have always believed that the UN and its associated agencies are indispensable. If there are problems, you fix them, you don’t get rid of them,” he said. “I also look at the UN as not just what goes on in New York. That’s extremely important – in the General Assembly and the Security Council – but I’ve seen the UN very much first hand from all of the wonderful things it does in the field.”


Ambassador Tom Miller and the new President of UNA-USA