It's a private club of sorts. A sisterhood. We aren't country club girls, though the sisterhood certainly required that we schlep our loveliness through our share of country club events, endure bad and good press and manage jackass staffers who enjoyed the support of ignorant, arrogant boardmembers (Jack Holt and John Pingree, I'm looking at you). We were EDs. Executive Directors.
Right there in that photo is one of the most special EDs ever. Her name is Lynn Phalan and she was the executive director of the SPCA of Monterey County.
For more than five years, Lynn ran the animal shelter (no small task). At the time, I was living in San Francisco working for this other very special ED at Peninsula Humane Society.
For years, I knew Lynn periferally. We were both "cc's" on emails from special ED Kathy, long after we'd all left animal welfare.
Then, I took the gig as executive director of Monterey History and Art Association. Lynn had retired from executive director work to a less stressful accounting gig. She was supporting MHAA in that role. She supported me, too. We became friends.
In this photo, Lynn and I have gussied up for a black tie new years eve event. This was taken two years ago. We're still together, though both of our dates are no longer in the picture. Before and after this photo was taken, I spent holidays with her, watched her kids grow up, and laughed and cried with her more times than I can count.
That's the thing about girlfriends. As women, we search and hope and mourn for the loves-of-our-lives. Yet, as broken and unlovable as that quest leaves us feeling, our girlfriends are there.
Lynn is one of the best girlfriends I could ever hope for. And, she's one, totally special ED.
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