TSA President’s Letter December 2021
Dear TSA Members,
We regret to announce that Caroline Charuk had tendered her resignation as Executive Director of Textile Society of America (TSA). Since 2015, Caroline has worked closely with the Board and members as Membership and Communications Coordinator. In 2017, she accepted the position as General Manager and in 2020 was promoted to Executive Director. Caroline has always been a very thoughtful, responsible and effective partner. Caroline successfully converted our 2020 Symposium from the anticipated in-person event in Boston, to a fully virtual event garnering universal praise from our membership. In the midst of the global pandemic and the national awakening to social injustices, this was an admirable feat of dedication, skill and focus.
Caroline’s advocacy for and attention to TSA’s members has always been a hallmark of her time with the organization. In 2020 she partnered with the Membership and Outreach Committee to develop and implement our tiered fee structure, enabling a larger and more diverse group to take advantage of the benefits of TSA membership. As General Manager, Caroline conceived of and developed the New Professionals workshop held at the Philadelphia Fabric Workshop and Museum intentionally highlighting issues of inequity in our field. Both the fee structure and the workshop directly addressed the challenges faced by people new to the textile field. Caroline’s dedication to the presence of inequities has been front and center for her and we are grateful for her leadership in this area. In addition, Caroline has also maintained an active studio and educational practice during her tenure.
The Board is in the process of searching for her replacement and Caroline’s shared experiences will help inform this process. I hope you will join the Board in thanking Caroline for her dedication to TSA, her hard work and her guidance, particularly through the last two years. While we are sad to lose a valued colleague, we admire and respect Caroline for the honesty and courage she has shown in making this difficult decision during these challenging times.
With very best wishes for a healthy and safe new year,
Melinda Watt
TSA President, 2020-2022
