I know what you’re thinking, CALL Members:

Twelve. More. Months.

 TWELVE. MORE! MONTHS!

But term limits exist for a reason, so with that in mind, and with tears on my keyboard, I type to you one last time as CALL President.

I am so proud of our accomplishments as an organization in the past year. While I am unable to recount all of the moments that defined my year as President, the standout event for me was our 75th Anniversary event at the Columbia Yacht Club last June. Not only was it a beautiful day filled with great food and conversation–it was also our first opportunity to gather together in person since before the COVID pandemic. I can not think of a better setting to toast to one another and to the organization that brought us all together.

The results of our 2023 CALL Executive Board election were recently announced, with three new members being elected:

Vice President/President-Elect: Philip Johnson

Secretary: Clare Willis

Director: Lucy Robbins

I look forward to serving with all of you! Heartfelt thanks go out to our entire slate of candidates for your willingness to serve on the CALL Executive Board.

Of course the rigid CALL Handbook dictates that the Executive Board is a zero-sum body, and so for every arrival there must be a departure. And so, I want to give special thanks to outgoing Executive Board members Sarah Andeen (Secretary), Carrie Port (Director), and Jamie Sommer (Past President). It has been a pleasure to serve with each of you, and although you will be losing access to the CALL expense accounts and private jet, you will remain valued members of the CALL community.

Finally, I want to once again congratulate three CALL members for winning AALL Awards this year:

Recipient of the MARIAN GOULD GALLAGHER DISTINGUISHED SERVICE AWARD: 

Keith Ann Stiverson, Retired
Director of the Law Library and Senior Lecturer
IIT Chicago-Kent College of Law

Recipient of the HALL OF FAME AWARD:

Jean M. Wenger
Director of the Law Library/Senior Lecturer
Chicago-Kent College of Law

Recipient of the EMERGING LEADER AWARD:

Mandy Lee
Head of Research & Instruction
Chicago-Kent College of Law

Look, I’d be lying if I said I hadn’t contemplated refusing to step down at the end of my Presidential term. In fact, as recently as last week that was the plan. It appears, however, that Mandy has emerged at just the right moment for CALL, and I will be proud to pass my President’s gavel to her at our May Business Meeting. You’re in good hands, CALL members!

It has been the honor of the professional development portion of my last year to serve each of you as CALL President. This organization and its members mean the world to me, and I’ll say now what I’ve said countless times over the years–I’ve gotten more than I could ever give back to CALL.