2022 Statement of Intent for Curt Baker
As of 2022/04/20, I am withdrawing from this year's Board election. I have a number of things going on outside DMS, and their combined effect would keep me from focusing on the 'space as a good leader should. It's been an honor and a privilege to hold a place on the board for these past 2 years, thank you all for the opportunity to serve!
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Hello, my name is Curt Baker, (on Talk I am BobTheMad - very old nickname, ask me some time for the backstory), and I am running for re-election to the DMS Board of Directors. I have been a member since 2015.
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I bring numerous skills and significant experience to the table, including:
- 20+ year IT professional with significant managerial experience
- 10+ years experience volunteering with 501(c)(3) organizations - Including 4 years in multi-state leadership positions
- 3+ years of leadership experience with Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion (DEI) groups
- Multiple university degrees, including a Master of Business Administration
- Multiple certifications in process & organizational improvement (ITIL v3 certified Expert)
- I make art, and sometimes I'm even satisfied with the results
My leadership philosophy can be summed up in the following ways:
- Mutual Respect: For a group to function, members must respect each other. We will, at times, disagree - but we must never fall to the level of disrespecting each others views, beliefs, opinions, and decisions.
- Enthusiastic Support: Leadership exists to serve the organization, not the other way around. Leadership should enthusiastically support the organization to the best of their abilities
- Radical Honesty: This includes: being honest with each other, being honest with those outside the group, and being honest with ourselves.
- Audacious Optimism: We must all believe that there is a "better way". If we are to improve, we must be willing to take an honest look at ourselves, our processes, etc. and determine if they still meet our needs. Very little should be considered sacrosanct.
- Grit: Sticking with things, even if the going gets tough.
More details on my professional experience can be found on my LinkedIn profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/curtisrbaker/
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My high-level goals for the next year for the DMS would be:
- Rebuild membership numbers to pre-COVID levels
- Launch a DMS Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) program
- Continue and successfully complete the expansion project
- Research ways for members to easily find ways to volunteer, as well as acknowledge those who go above and beyond
- Determine the best solution for project storage while avoiding the abuses that have occurred in the past
- Continue to improve the new member onboarding experience
- Reach out to the Dallas/Fort Worth education and arts community to find projects on which we could collaborate in an effort to give back to the community
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I look forward to continuing to serve the fantastic DMS community!
Thanks!
- Curt Baker
Endorsements: James Henningson, Julie Harris, Justin Walker