Interview With Lanes Exec. Director Yvonne Zinicola Part 1

Written for by Carolyn Stearns…
Part 1- An Interview With Lanes Exec. Director Yvonne Zinicola as of 3-29-2011

I requested to interview Yvonne for the blog as a way of capturing her first year and reflecting on its impact with Lanes and storytelling in the Northeast. I sent Yvonne my questions and we thought of putting out this interview prior to Sharing the Fire. My questions got Yvonne to thinking and they needed time for the answers to gel while STF day was racing forward. We decided after everyone was home from Sharing the Fire and the light had simmered to red coals it would be a good time to release the interview. I decided to post it as received in the question answer format and not try to fix something that doesn’t need fixing.
Yvonne has had a year to get to know us and we are all beginning to see who Yvonne is. Hopefully for those who have not yet had the pleasure this will bring you a little overview. For all those who have met or worked with Yvonne already, here is some follow up to what you have been introduced to.

1. 1 year has passed, what is just as you expected in that time frame?

I really do not set “expectations” until I have a chance to understand the organization, its members and its systems. The first year was exploratory and foundation building. Although I am new to Storytelling, I am not new to the arts and have over 15 years experience in Non-profit management. First, I had to do an in depth assessment of the organization to determine our strengths and weaknesses. The framework of processes was in place, but I had to add much more detail. That’s not really unusual for a non-profit that has been pretty much staffed by volunteers with some part-time admin folks along the way. So it was no surprise, but it has taken much time and energy. In order to move forward, it was vital to our work to do this foundation building.

2. What in the year has most surprised you?

I was surprised and amazed by the passion and dedication that our storytellers have. We have an amazing group of vibrant members who are dedicated to each other as much as to furthering the art of storytelling. I was impressed at the many functional, creative and inventive ways that storytelling is being used to make the world a better place and to create understanding between people.

3. Where have you seen the most progress?

The most progress has been in firming up the foundation of LANES, board development and strategic planning. The LANES board has had to reflect upon how we could enhance the Sharing the Fire Conference, improve member services and what we could do beyond those key parts of LANES to “promote the art of storytelling.”

4. What needs the most work still?

Fundraising and Financial development are what need the most work. Financial development speaks to enhancing member services, retaining our members and attracting new members. Fundraising speaks to securing grants and some major donors. We are really building this from the ground up. Also right behind those priorities is truly promoting the art of storytelling as a recognized art form. We are not yet leveraging our numbers to do this effectively. So this will be part of the forthcoming strategic planning.

5. STF 2011 was earlier this month, what did you enjoy?

People and stories, stories and people. There is great warmth (every pun intended) about Sharing the Fire Conference that you can’t help but feel if you are there. The amount of energy and creativity of our members and of any who attend is outstanding. Making this yearly connection is vital to help you to recharge your batteries, hone your skills and to encourage us all to continue to promote storytelling.

Written for by Carolyn Stearns for the Lanes Blog.

6. STF/ What changes do you foresee?

In 2012 the event will move to the Greater Albany, NY area for three years. We will keep the warmth and retain our focus on workshops and storytelling excellence. In 2012, we want to better include and attract more youth. We want to increase our marketing of the event to some of our major groups of storytellers who are our educators, health and mental health professionals, and clergy. Of course, Librarians are also part of the group vital to storytelling. SUNY has a library science program, for example, which we hope we will gather more attendees.

7. STF/ what would be revolutionary?

Standing room only for our Friday and Saturday night concerts as well as for our workshops! STF 2012 ideas are still being hatched so I’ll table that question until a later date.