Thank you to three of our board members who have devoted so much of their time and wisdom to helping 826 Boston thrive!
Mimi Curran has been the 826 Boston Board Treasurer since the spring of 2014. She began tutoring in 2013, and volunteered on many book projects and at college essay boot camps.
Previously, Mimi was the Director of Project Finance at GBH, overseeing the financial and business strategy of all GBH’s national projects. Mimi enjoys books, music, and the ocean.
One of our latest student-authored books, “Suddenly, I Felt a Beginning,” is dedicated to Mimi and her years of service as she steps down.
At our recent board meeting, Board Treasurer David Bagnani shared his thoughts about Mimi’s time at 826 Boston:
Thirteen years ago, 826 Boston was much smaller, but with some big ideas, big ambitions, and, to be honest, some tight budgets, really tight. And somewhere in those early days, we got very lucky because Mimi showed up and was almost instantly enlisted to become our treasurer.
In a recent conversation with Marc Foster, who preceded Mimi as treasurer, he described her arrival in 2013 this way: “Mimi bailed me out as Finance chair at a point when we had our lowest cash balance in chapter history. She set the organization on a firm financial footing and that made an immense difference every day to all of us.”
Since that time, with her steady guidance, 826 Boston has overcome challenges, grown its programming, and substantially expanded its impact. Through it all, she has never lost sight of what the numbers and the meetings are actually for: the children. What made Mimi even more special is that she didn’t just show up for board meetings; she showed up for the students. She came to the events. She was a tutor. She listened to their stories and saw their faces. With her actions, she made the connection that getting the finances right was directly linked to helping a young person express ideas in ways that matter.
Thirteen years of institutional memory, of thoughtful questions, of helping us make better decisions will not be easily replaced. But it is something we should celebrate. Mimi, you leave us far better than you found us, and that is the highest compliment I know how to give.
That said, it would make me feel a whole lot better if I can keep you on my speed dial! Thank you. We’ll miss you enormously.
Photo: Mimi with her husband Co Bennett in 2017.
Gillian Kohli is also stepping down from our Board of Directors after 12 years of service!
Following careers in engineering and law, Gillian has been the co-owner of Wellesley Books, an independent bookstore in Wellesley, MA, since 2010.
Gillian tutored math and reading in the Boston Public Schools for many years before joining the 826 Boston Board. She served as the Board Chair for five years and was most recently the Chair of the Governance Committee.
Gillian’s legacy can be felt all across 826 Boston: from championing our annual Books for Breakfast fundraisers, to supporting the organization’s growth over the years, and consistently showing up for our students and staff.
At our recent board meeting, our outgoing Board President Janet Tiampo shared her thoughts about Gillian’s time at 826 Boston:
For me, Gillian is as much a part of 826 Boston as Big Foot! While I have been here, staff has changed, and Writers’ Rooms have been added, subtracted, and added again. But Gillian has been a constant.
She was president of the board when I first joined, and as several people have pointed out to me, she led us through difficult times with a steady hand and a calm demeanor. There was COVID and going digital within weeks; there was a swift transition of leadership; but, for me, the most lasting legacy were our first, firm steps into becoming a just and equitable organization when the board and staff created a DEI statement and action plan.
While there were many hands in this work, Gillian, as our president, set the tone with her acknowledgement that this was unquestionably work that needed to be done. She moved forward in this process without defensiveness and led with a spirit of learning. This is not something I take for granted. This is not something that all organizations have done with the sincerity and thoroughness of 826 Boston, and I know we would not have been one of the Bostonians of the Year, had those first steps not been taken.
I am incredibly proud to be one of the diverse opinions and perspectives on this board. As chair of Governance, Gillian has been instrumental in bringing us together, creating a strong onboarding process and codifying our work–all things that will help keep our board and this organization strong for years to come.
Gillian, your 12-years at 826 Boston are just the start of your legacy at 826 Boston.
Photo by Mike Mejia
Lastly, Janet Tiampo is stepping down as our Board President after five years of service!
Janet also served as Chair of the Campaign for Growth and of the Advancement Committee. She has been an 826 Boston tutor for more than eleven years (volunteering more than 220 volunteer hours!) and tutored in each of our six Writers’ Rooms and at our center in Roxbury for After-School Writing and Tutoring.
Our incoming Board President April Bo Wang shared these thoughts:
Janet embodies the best of good leadership: enormous empathy, a super-sharp mind, and great humility. Before and throughout her board service, Janet volunteered as a writing tutor in our programs. For her, 826 Boston’s mission was always central to all her strategic decision-making. She never claimed to have all the answers; instead, she looked to her fellow board members, staff culture, and the experiences of the students she worked with, for guiding wisdom. 826 Boston flourished under her leadership on the board. She leaves huge (metaphoric) shoes to fill. I also dare you to find a single person more versed in or enthusiastic about the MBTA, or who has a more rabbit-forward dress sense!
Our Executive Director Corey Yarbrough thanks Janet for her service and is happy to have Janet remain on our board:
Janet is truly one of a kind! I’ve felt incredibly fortunate to work with a board president who is so deeply invested in 826 Boston’s mission. Whether she’s regularly volunteering in our Writers’ Rooms, reaching out with a genuine interest in my well-being, or serving as a passionate advocate and connector for the organization, Janet does it all with a smile and a remarkable sense of joy and humility. I’ve learned so much from her example, and I’m so grateful to have joined the organization under her leadership.
Photo: Janet at our most recent Books for Breakfast fundraiser with Daniel Handler (aka Lemony Snicket) and author/illustrator Lisa Brown.
Photo by Mike Mejia.
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