To All My Friends in the Washington Conservation Guild,

Thank you for helping to make the 2023–2024 WCG season so enjoyable! Its success was due to the incredibly hard-working, all-volunteer Board. Those who have not served on the Board may not realize just how much goes into creating a season full of so many professional development and cultural heritage activities. WCG could easily be a full-time job! The Guild has grown over the years, taking on new goals and priorities, but we remain committed to making WCG a place where every member and volunteer, no matter the years of experience or conservation specialty, feels welcomed and appreciated. We also hope that members look forward to meetings, whether to learn new information or to catch up with old friends. WCG meetings and events are only successful when they are beneficial to our members. While many projects were done behind the scenes last season in order to get WCG into a good position for the future, we were able to benefit from those projects this season and give back to our members directly. I’m excited to share all that we accomplished in the attached annual report.

On a personal note, I would like to thank everyone involved with the Washington Conservation Guild, from members to partner organizations and sponsors. When I first learned of WCG as a new conservator returning from the UK, I thought it sounded like a great organization to help me meet other conservators back in my home country. I even took a trip down to DC from NJ to attend a meeting. I became a member as soon as I moved to the DC area and attended every possible meeting and event. I was honored when I was nominated to join the Board two years later. When I was asked to run for Vice President, I was really nervous about taking on the role and eventually the role of President. Little did I know just how much I would grow to appreciate that nomination. While WCG took up a lot of time and energy, I am thankful that I took on the challenge. It helped me hone my organization and leadership skills while allowing me to meet so many wonderful people. The Guild has truly helped me to feel part of the Washington conservation community. The two years of my term as President has come to an end, but I am grateful to remain a part of the organization. Thank you to all who have welcomed me and who gave me the opportunity to serve.

Sincerely,

Rachel Greenberg

President, Washington Conservation Guild

Attached: WCG Annual Report 2023-2024 [.pdf]