Want to be a Successful Board Member? Start With Breakfast

Have you ever wondered what it’s like to be on a Board of Directors? How do you know when you’re ready to join a Board?

HUECU’s governing body is a 15 member Board of Directors, who volunteer their time and talent to give strategic direction, formulate policies, and ensure the financial wellbeing of the Credit Union and our members. We recently sat down with one of our Directors to get her take on the experience and learn more about how she’s forging such a successful career.

April Edrington was elected to the HUECU Board of Directors in 2015. With over 25 years of management and fundraising experience with NGOs, government agencies and research universities, she is currently Senior Director for Strategic Priorities in Alumni Affairs and Development at Harvard University. At Harvard, April has also directed Alumni and Development Services, served as the founding Managing Director of Institutional Partnerships at the Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, led the Harvard University Office of Corporate and Foundation Relations and worked in major gifts for the sciences and for the Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study. She spent the previous 10 years with several NGOs, including serving as Executive Director of the Texas Women's Political Caucus; Executive Director of the Tobacco Education Project, a lobby fighting the tobacco industry; and as an internal consultant for the Texas Department of Protective and Regulatory Services.

HUECU: As a Harvard alumna, what about this community inspires you and keeps you here?

April: The mission of the University is one that is near and dear to my heart. I think it is best summarized by Al Powell reporting on [President Bacow’s installation remarks]: Higher education not only has made the American Dream accessible for generations, its commitment to the pursuit of excellence, openness to disruptive ideas, and creation of an informed citizenry — considered crucial by the nation’s founders — helped create the America around us today. I’m proud to be a part of such a community every day.

HUECU: You’ve been a Director for several years now. What makes you most proud about serving the Harvard community as a member of our Board of Directors?

April: I love the credit union model. We are not-for-profit, community-based, member-owned, and democratic. Board members—including me!—are elected by the membership; one vote per member, no matter what account size. And HUECU is unique, even among credit unions, in that we work alongside our members, embedded in and embracing our community and its values.

HUECU: In your experience as a student and employee, what would you say are the top three skills that have made you so successful here at Harvard?

April: I think of myself as a lifelong learner; three skills I’m constantly growing are listening, communicating clearly, and being kind. I’ll always have room to grow, but I truly believe that when we’re treated with, and treat others with, respect and dignity, we all do better!

HUECU: We’ve seen many amazing things you’ve accomplished thus far in your career. Your schedule must be demanding. How do you kick start your day to maximize productivity?

April: My daughter leaves at 7:20 a.m. for school each morning, so I always make sure we sit down to breakfast together at 6:55 a.m. I listen to her plans for the day and we talk through challenges with schoolwork or scheduling. I’m learning that leadership—even parenting!—is mostly about being a servant, exploring ways to make people’s work and day easier; my team’s, my daughter’s, and my own. But start with breakfast first!

HUECU: For those who are looking to join a Board or are new in their career, would you recommend any resources for inspiration or advice in business and life?

April: I believe we learn the most important lessons through interacting with people, hearing their stories and experiences, taking in how we all behave under different circumstances and stressors, and then learning from that and constantly improving ourselves. It’s a bit like the Japanese concept of kaizen at an individual level: continuous, incremental improvement adds up to substantial change over time.

HUECU: Looking ahead to 2019, what are you hopeful for?

April: Is it too self-serving to say I’m hopeful that more members of the Harvard community and our partners will discover HUECU? It’s a terrific benefit, and there are so many ways to get to know us: through home buying seminars, personal finance workshops, or by stopping into any branch. Our friendly team is there to help you. How can we help you today?