Dear Flamboyan Community,
It is with deep pride in the Flamboyan Foundation and the tremendous work of our teams in both Washington, DC and Puerto Rico, that I share my plan to step down as President and Chief Operating Officer (COO) effective July 1, 2026. After 10 years at Flamboyan and a 30-year career of service in the nonprofit, education and philanthropic sectors, it feels like now is the right time for me to chart the next phase of my life’s journey.
As Kristin announced in Flamboyan’s network message earlier today, I’m thrilled that our current DC Executive Director, Emily Garcia, will succeed me as COO. After three successful years at Flamboyan, Emily has proven herself to be a dedicated and trusted leader with a passion for our family engagement work in DC and across the country and I am confident that she will successfully take on the COO duties. Emily will officially assume her role effective July 1, 2026, and she, along with our PR Executive Director, Carlos Rodriguez and the rest of our senior leadership team will continue to work together to create the conditions for our team members to achieve our ambitious goals.
As Flamboyan launches a new strategic plan this spring, this is a natural and energizing time to begin planning for the future. I believe deeply that great organizations design leadership transitions from a position of strength, purpose, and optimism for what’s ahead. With those attributes in mind, two years ago I told our board that I was considering a timeline to transition from my executive role. I promised that I would ensure we continued making progress towards our goals during the final years of my tenure while delivering a sound plan to promote leadership within our organization. I am grateful to Flamboyan’s founders Kristin Ehrgood and Vadim Nikitine and board member Rea Carey for their steadfast belief and trust in my leadership over the years and during this time of change.
Over the next six months, I’ll be working closely with the Flamboyan team to ensure a smooth transition from my current role so that we are well-positioned to hit the ground running at the onset of our next fiscal year. In addition, I feel immensely privileged to have the opportunity to stay close to Flamboyan in an advisory role serving as in-house executive coach and organizational development resource.
This is a joyful moment as I reflect on all that Flamboyan has achieved. When I joined the organization in 2016, there were several things I wanted to get done and, together with the support of many of you, I am proud to say we have accomplished:
Creating and implementing a unified, cohesive, and ambitious strategic plan. One of my first major projects was to develop a framework to create and implement a multi-year strategic plan that would provide direction, focus and coherence within and across both regional offices. Those of you who know me well, can appreciate how much I love a good plan! A few years later, for the first time we had a transparent, unified and aligned organizational blueprint for our work with ambitious goals for family engagement, K-3 reading, and arts and culture in Puerto Rico as well as for operational systems and internal culture. This framework serves as the foundation for the new strategic plan that is currently in development to launch in July. We are a small team with big dreams which require us to be in sync with one another to make the impact we want.
Results that matter in communities who need it most. A plan is not worth its salt if it can’t deliver results. Having the privilege of playing even a small part in making positive changes in my hometown of Washington, DC and also in Puerto Rico, a community that welcomes me with open arms each time I return, has been a blessing beyond measure. We created innovative products and resources like the Family Engagement Assessment tool and the Todos a Leer roadmap for K-3 reading; cultivated and strengthened partnerships with school district leaders in Washington, DC, Puerto Rico, and around the country; and launched bold new efforts like the Flamboyan Arts Fund and the REAL Family Engagement national roadmap project to influence and mobilize policy makers, influencers, and other funders. We tackled tough issues in communities most affected by inequity all while maintaining impactful programming amid hurricanes, earthquakes, and a global pandemic!
Structuring work that allows people to account for the fullness of their identities and lives. As a Black woman leader, I felt a sense of duty to my community, elders and ancestors, to ensure we are a welcoming workplace where trust, care, and regard for each person’s humanity could exist alongside excellence, hard work, and accountability. I was determined to provide conditions for stability and consistency, along with intentional and spontaneous moments of joy. I also dreamed of a workplace where each person could make contributions in their job while pursuing their authentic lives outside of work. By 2020 we were making solid progress when the COVID-19 pandemic closely followed by civil unrest sparked by the murder of George Floyd, upended our lives. It was a leadership challenge with no playbook or precedent, and those times took a toll on us all. When we abruptly shut down the office, we instituted innovations like surprise care packages delivered to staff at home and Wellness Days, shared days off for respite and collective care. In 2021, we pioneered a return-to-office plan at a time when many employers were grappling with when and how to bring normalcy to the workplace and employees were reevaluating their personal circumstances, including where and how they want to work. Humbly, I’m grateful for the generosity of those who offered grace when I faltered, thought partnership when I grappled with difficult decisions, and encouragement to celebrate small wins along the way.
None of these achievements would be possible without our talented, dedicated, and resilient staff, board, and partners. I’m grateful for the partnership of our senior leadership team that, over the years, has blossomed into dear friendships with Kristin, Carlos, and Emily and am immensely proud of the entire team who is taking up the mantle of our new strategic plan. I am confident they will carry on the legacy of all of those who have shared their gifts and talents at Flamboyan as staff, consultants, or partners. It has been an honor of a lifetime to work in partnership with caring and committed individuals who are willing to disrupt the status quo to fight for a world with more expressions of love and humanity, enduring freedom, and justice for all. I am especially privileged to have visionary women leaders like Marcy Whitebook, Carol Brunson Day, Barbara Bowman, Akaya Windwood, Libby Doggett, Stacey Stewart, Carole Thompson Cole, Charlene Drew Jarvis, and Usha Balamore as mentors, role models and inspirations. I am lucky to have been able to live my purpose with people and in places that are committed to ensuring educators are treated with dignity, families are trusted partners in education systems, and all students are successful in school and life.
As I take this next step, I’m looking forward to an extended vacation this summer to rest, reset, and plan for the future. I look forward to connecting with you as I settle into a different capacity at Flamboyan and remain grateful to be on the front lines for social impact.
Thank you from the bottom of my heart,
Marci