Constituency Participation
Board of Directors
Staff & Management Team

Constituency Participation
The Women’s Intercultural Center empowers women by ensuring their ownership of the organization’s programs and services. Therefore, Center participants are intimately involved in the decisions and initiatives that shape the organization’s direction. Community meetings and a variety of committee structures provide opportunities for participants to contribute to the Center’s decision-making; these bodies employ a consensus model when possible and appropriate.

Board members, staff, and women from the community participated in the Center’s strategic planning session in 2008. During this session participants communicated the need to expand programming, which will result in the use of more space and evening and/or weekend programming.  The also expressed concerns of the lack of child care to reach more women from the community.

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Board of Directors

The volunteers who serve on the Center’s Board of Directors possess expertise and a sincere interest in border issues, especially as they affect the women of the Mesilla Valley. The Board is comprised of between 5 and 13 individuals. Board members take an active role in the Center’s functioning and direction; they assume responsibility for legal and financial matters, capacity-building, and strategic planning. While four officers lead the Board, all members participate in at least one of the Center’s five Standing Committees. Additionally, an innovative “Mentorship Program” prepares Center participants for Board service.
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Staff
The Center’s Management Team consists of three full-time staff members: an Executive Director, a Finance Director, and the Program Director. This Team, which meets weekly, is responsible for the day-to-day operation of the Center, personnel and program development.  

The staff is comprised of full-time and part-time employees, and- when possible- two volunteers from Mercy Volunteer Corps.   Five members of the current staff team initially came to the Women's Intercultural Center to learn English or participate in other learning activities. This reflects the Center's emphasis upon leadership development and ownership.

Through weekly staff meetings and committees, all participate in decisions related to programs and policies, as well as day-to-day Center operations.