ANNUAL REPORT 2012 - WBFN

To function, throughout the year WBFN conductsmeetings of its leaders where they review the variousactivities and policies of the organization, make decisionsand determine the future course.planning, implementing...organizationaloperations

Volunteer LeadershipExecutive Committee and the New Leadership ModelThe WBFN Executive Committee (EC) provides leadership to ensure that WBFN servicesand programs reflect the changing needs and interests of the World Bank Group families.The EC consists of the WBFN President, President-Elect, Secretary, Nominating Chair,and between three and eight other members. The EC meets at least once a month at theWBFN Office.The FY12 EC members were:Annemarie Brink Olsen – PresidentFiona Oliphant – SecretarySandipa Thapa Basnyat – Nominating ChairJennifer O’Riordan – Welcoming Chair (July – November 2011)Florinda D’Eugenio – Welcoming Chair (as of December 2011)Amy Chamberlain (as of November 2011)Karen Clarke-StangeKarin MetzJohannes TonnAmber Van De GenachteInela WeeksHilary WelchCharlotte Jones Carroll (MMMF Representative, non-voting)Zena Soudah (Book Project Representative, non-voting)Gilda Dadush (Advisor, non-voting)In October 2011 the WBFN President asked the EC to examine potential new leadershipmodels for WBFN in light of the challenges experienced in recruiting for the position ofPresident-Elect for the year 2011-2012. A small working group of EC members was formedto devise and propose a more effective leadership model.• The required commitment of a total of two years’ service for both the President andPresident-Elect.• The roles and divisions of responsibilities between the President, President-Elect, officestaff and the EC.The group concluded that WBFN needed to adjust its leadership model to align with the newreality of membership demographics, to be efficient and effective, and to make the leadershiproles less time-consuming and therefore more attractive to volunteers. A report of these findingsand a proposal for a new model were presented at the EC retreat in January 2012. Thegroup used feedback from the retreat to modify the proposed model.The final proposal involved the creation of two new leadership positions: President and President(Operations). The two positions were designed to do away with the hierarchy inherentin the original model and to function more as a team through close collaboration. Detailedjob descriptions were established for both positions, ensuring a clear division of responsibilities.Furthermore, the job descriptions specified that both roles could be performed effectivelywith less than full-time presence in the office. It was proposed that terms for each positionshould be limited to one year, although both the President and the President (Operations)could be re-elected for one additional term by securing renewed endorsement from the EC.The new leadership model was adopted by the EC on March 1, 2012. The model, togetherwith the bylaw changes that would be necessary in order to implement it, was then introducedto members via the WBFN website, email, and the Mosaic newsletter in April, andpresented formally for membership approval at the Annual Membership Meeting on May10. The new model and bylaw changes were approved through a vote and came into effecton July 1, 2012.The group deliberated over the following issues:• The changing characteristics of the WBFN membership.20 21

Nominating CommitteeThe Nominating Committee (NC) consists of WBFN members voted onto an officialcommittee by the current Executive Committee (EC). The NC is responsible for identifyingpotential and capable candidates to fill any vacant EC positions, as well as the NCpositions for the subsequent year.The FY12 NC members were Sandipa Thapa Basnyat (Nominating Chair), Philippe Futa,Maaike le Grand, and Florinda D’Eugenio. The NC’s tasks for the year began with identifyingcandidates for the positions of Welcoming Chair and President Elect. Florinda D’Eugeniowas selected and voted in as the Welcoming Chair in December 2011 and she subsequentlystood down from the NC. The position of President-Elect was much harder to fill, however,leading to the development of the proposed new WBFN leadership model. Also this year, theEC mandated the NC to begin a review process of the Nominating Guidelines, which will befurther elaborated by the FY13 NC.In early 2012, the NC began to identify candidates for the FY13 EC and NC. As per theWBFN bylaws at the time, the NC had to propose a slate composed of a President, President-Elect, Nominating Chair and Secretary, together with a minimum of three and a maximumof eight additional members. During the search, the NC also considered the two new leadershippositions (President and President (Operations)) that would need to be filled if the newleadership model was to be approved at the Annual Membership Meeting, as well as theproposed bylaw change that would require a minimum of five general EC members ratherthan three.The NC actively promoted the idea of inviting the broader WBFN membership to considerapplying for any of the open positions, and a call for candidates was distributed via email,Mosaic and postal mail. Applications were combined with nominations received from ECmembers and from NC members themselves. Candidates were interviewed in person andbriefed about the roles and responsibilities of the positions they were interested in. A slateof proposed candidates was presented to the EC in May 2012 and endorsed. The candidateswere then presented to the general WBFN membership at the Annual Membership Meetingon May 10 and voted in unanimously.Annual Membership MeetingEach year, WBFN members are invited to come together at the Annual MembershipMeeting to discuss the achievements and new initiatives of the past fiscal year as well asthe projects and challenges ahead. At the Meeting, members are given the opportunity tovote on the proposed incoming Executive Committee (EC) and Nominating Committee(NC) slates and the gavel is passed on to the incoming President.On Thursday, May 10, 47 WBFN members gathered together for the 2012 Annual Meeting.The ensuing conversation showcased members’ and volunteers’ thoughtfulness and commitmentto WBFN.The meeting was called to order with a welcome and opening remarks from WBFN President,Annemarie Brink Olsen. Annemarie presented a snapshot of the varied programs andactivities that took place in the office and in members’ homes during FY12. Annemarie alsodescribed 2012 as a year of change, as demonstrated by a new WBFN office, the proposedstructural changes to the leadership, new Office Gathering events, the establishment of theCareer and Volunteering Program (C&V), the new Welcoming Call Center, new topics forInformation Seminars, and two new WBFN chapters in Argentina and Kenya. Annemarieconcluded by giving a well-deserved “thank you” to all of the members and volunteers whocontributed to these accomplishments.Following Annemarie’s report, Johannes Tonn presented an overview of the new C&V program.Fiona Oliphant then presented WBFN’s proposed new leadership model and the correspondingbylaw amendments. The membership voted on the proposals and both the leadershipmodel and the bylaw changes were passed.The meeting ended with a farewell to outgoing EC members and the presentation of thenominated FY13 slate of EC and NC members. The membership unanimously voted in theEC and NC nominees. Annemarie passed the gavel to FY13 President Hada Zaidan andPresident (Operations) Sandipa Basnyat.All present then celebrated WBFN’s 40th Anniversary with cake and champagne. It was anenjoyable and successful meeting, and WBFN sincerely thanks all those who attended!22 23

Executive Committee Alumni MeetingTaking place every two years, the Executive Committee Alumni Meeting is a gathering ofcurrent and past EC members to discuss a pre-defined theme. Past EC members offer theirinsights on the bigger WBFN picture and possibilities for WBFN going forward.On Friday, March 9, 2012, 23 EC alumni met in Gilda Dadush’s home. The theme forthis year’s meeting was “Advocacy and Fundraising: How, When and What to Do?” Thistheme was particularly relevant given WBFN’s changing demographics and needs over thispast fiscal year. The discussion included some examples of past advocacy, suggestions forfuture action points and recommendations on how to determine future advocacy topics asdetermined by members.The first part of the discussion focused on the discrepancy between what prospective staffare told about professional development opportunities for their spouses/partners and reality.Consequently, the group discussed advocating for professional development trainingsthat could be administered by the WBG or units such as Global Staff Mobility.The group then moved on to discuss advocating for more family-friendly policies and ahealthy work-life balance. One example of such a policy would be to decrease the frequencyand duration of mission travel. A couples’ workshop/retreat was also suggested as a way toenhance relationships stressed by work.Core Volunteers Appreciation OutingEach year, WBFN invites the Representative Council—consisting of the coordinators ofall the WBFN social and cultural groups, leaders of WBFN programs and events, andthe WBFN Executive Committee—to enjoy an informal day together outside the office.Usually, a cultural event or outing is arranged and lunch is provided. In recent years, theAppreciation Outing has grown to include those people WBFN refers to as “core volunteers”—individualswho during the year have given their time and energy by volunteeringin WBFN activities in an extraordinary way.This year the Appreciation Outing took place on June 14. Twenty-four volunteers attendedand enjoyed the day in each other’s company. The day started at The National Museumof Women in the Arts, where two enthusiastic guides showed visitors the marvelous collectionof works—historic as well as contemporary—by female artists. It was an extremelyinteresting and satisfying morning. After the museum visit, the volunteers strolled throughdowntown DC to Carmine’s Italian family restaurant where a delicious lunch was served.The afternoon of conversations was lively and, following the WBFN tradition, each volunteerwas presented with a certificate of appreciation for their contributions by the WBFNPresident.The EC alumni then discussed how to assess members’ needs and prioritize WBFN’s advocacyefforts accordingly. Some suggested that it was time to administer the member surveyagain, although those present acknowledged that it would be extremely labor-intensive toanalyze the survey results. Another suggestion was that WBFN should conduct memberfocus groups or a town hall meeting to consult members about their needs. Such initiativesmay help WBFN to determine its advocacy efforts for the next few years, where advocacyshould be appropriately related to the WBG’s aims and presented as a value-added benefit.Finally, those present discussed the possibility of new programs being financed by leveragingpro bono services from outside of the Bank or possibly by creating a “fund”.24 25

Office ManagementAround the OfficeEven after all these years of doing what we do, there is never a dull year at WBFN! FY12kicked off with our arrival in the new office, and, of course, a good few weeks of “where’smy…?” questions as we settled into our new surroundings. Just as we thought we were settledin nicely, the office was shaken up—quite literally!—during the August 2011 earthquake.A shock for some of us, but an ordinary occurrence for others, the earthquake prompteda smooth evacuation, and gave me my first chance to wear my beautiful red arm band andperform my Emergency Warden role by safely and orderly ushering staff and volunteers outof the building, including babies in their strollers!hours of precious guidance and assistance. Whether it was 4 o’clock in the morning or 11 atnight, Louise was always ready with an idea or solution that no one else would have thoughtof. Her positivity and optimism calmed many worries over the years and her diplomaticnature…well, there’s nothing like it! While she does continue to work her magic behind thescenes here and there, we are thrilled that she finally has the time for herself that she so trulydeserves after all these years. Louise, we miss you terribly and you know that if you are everbored…there’s plenty here for you to do!!!Further shaking us up this year was the news of our dear Mimi’s second pregnancy—a littlebrother or sister for Heldana! At the time of writing, Mimi is taking it all in her stride and Iimagine she will continue working until the very last day of her pregnancy (and for the sakeof the office, I hope so!)As always, my gratitude goes to Mariela, our eternal Monday office assistant. Entering theoffice bright and early every Monday morning, always in a sunny mood and with documentsto share and great stories to tell about her trips, Mariela takes on tasks that keep the wheelsturning here in the office. Gracias, Mariela!!A big thank you and a sad farewell to Tania Gnesdilova, our beloved computer class instructorand Member Management System (MMS) manager, who will be leaving us early in FY13to return to her home country of Russia. Incredibly patient Tania has nursed and nurturedthe MMS over the past 15 years and I can honestly say I don’t know what we would havedone without her! The good thing is that she should be back in a couple of years and, in themeantime, she will keep working with us, via telecommuting…This year, “my girls” Mimi and Christinne continued their epic partnership as the “first faces”of WBFN. Without them, I could not function, and WBFN could not exist! I have no wordsto tell them how much we all appreciate all they do. Amazing!Finally—and I don’t know where to even start with this—this year we waved (a partial) goodbyeto our darling Louise Shimizu, our walking WBFN history book, and her literally endless26 27

Member Management SystemSince 2009, WBFN has used a Microsoft Access database to keep track of all members andtheir personal information. The Member Management System (MMS) is maintained bythe WBFN office staff, IT Specialist Tania Gnesdilova and WBFN volunteers.FY12 saw a number of developments in the use of the MMS:• As the Welcoming Team adapted and developed their welcoming procedures, newfunctionalities were included in the MMS to allow team members to keep track of whohas been welcomed and how, and to reduce paper use.• The necessary interface and tools were established for the Members Abroad Team tomake use of MMS.• Data about the Teen Summer Program from 2008-2011 were inserted into the database.Tools to handle this data were developed and volunteers were trained in their use.• Data relating to the Annual Dinner and the Annual Meeting from 2003-2011 wereinserted, and tools were developed to allow the WBFN office staff to add to this dataeach year.• The membership handling system was improved, making it easier to verify “activemember” status.Despite this progress, a lot of work remains to be done. For example, the Members Abroadarea of the MMS can be expanded and improved. The Welcoming procedures could be furtherrefined, for example by improving the management of the “willing to volunteer” data toensure that WBFN reaches out to all members that are interested in getting involved. Thereis also a need for WBFN to receive and manage additional data from WBG HR throughSharePoint about duty station changes among staff. The regular presence of an experiencedAccess user in the office would also be useful, and the MMS Manual should be available andused on a daily basis. Finally, in the next fiscal year, it will be necessary to plan and preparefor the online status of the MMS.2829

programswelcoming, supporting, informing...WBFN programs form the core of the organization’s tasks.They aim to welcome, guide, support, and inform WBFNmembers. Volunteers are the cornerstone of these programs,with support from the WBFN office.

WelcomingWelcoming is the oldest program at WBFN, celebrating its 40th year this year. The WelcomingTeam is responsible for organizing and executing Welcoming Coffees, Get-Togethers,the Spouse/Partner Orientation Program (SOP), and the Buddy System and CallCenter.FY12 has been a particularly significant year in terms of the motivation of new team members.Welcoming Coffees this year were first presented by Johannes Tonn, and then by Ruth Bull.With her lovely British accent, Ruth patiently led increasingly interactive sessions with varyingnumbers of participants, and gave newcomers the crucial information and sense of confidencethat is required during the first days in DC. Participants also benefited from presentationsby Global Staff Mobility and Cope.Get-Togethers continued to be held each month in members’ homes, giving newcomers andlong-time members an opportunity to make new friends and to share experiences and information,creating a reservoir of resources. With the host providing delicious food and beveragesfrom their national tradition, the Get-Togethers continue to be a favorite among themembers of the Welcoming Team.One of the main achievements this year has been the Team’s ability to reach new membersbefore they even arrive in DC, thanks to Global Staff Mobility’s sharing of its Global MobilityRelocation Intake Forms with WBFN. Through this new system, all onboarding spouses/partners receive an email from the Welcoming Team to let them know there is a communityawaiting them when they arrive. Between January and the end of June 2012, a total of 60onboarding spouses/partners were contacted before arriving in DC.A further development in FY12 was the beginning of a long and complex process of updatingand rationalizing WBFN’s Welcoming Kit with the aim of producing a more concise andmanageable document that will mesh with the informational structure of the new WBFNwebsite. At the time of writing, this process is not complete, but continues to progress.The spirit of the FY12 Welcoming Team is the same as that of its predecessors. The secret? Tonever forget the feeling of uncertainty that comes with those first days in DC and the relief ofbeing welcomed so warmly by WBFN.• 12 Welcoming Coffees held, with a total of 131 attendees• 5 Spouse/Partner Orientation sessions held, with a total of 136 attendees• 10 Get-Togethers held in members’ home, with a total of 62 attendeesThis year, Maaike Le Grand and Sandipa Thapa generously facilitated five SOP sessions,during which spouses and partners were given important information about the WBG andits history, U.S. visa issues, WBG benefits, and many other topics. These sessions also gaveparticipants the opportunity to meet staff from the WBG departments Global Staff Mobility,Bank-Fund Staff Federal Credit Union, Health Services, and Security Operation Services, towhom WBFN is extremely grateful for their collaboration. During the May SOP, the WelcomingTeam bid a fond farewell to Maaike Le Grand, one of Welcoming’s most significantcontributors during the past eight years, who returned to her home country in summer 2012.She will be sorely missed at WBFN.32 33

Surviving Culture Shock WorkshopThe Surviving Culture Shock Workshop is designed for those who have arrived for the firsttime in the DC area and for those returning to DC after some time away. Workshop participantslearn about and discuss the challenges that WBG spouses/partners face, includingthe losses and gains involved in moving from country to country and in changing cultures,as well as the psychological aspects of moving, the process of change and U.S. values andculture.During FY12, Surviving Culture Shock Workshops were co-facilitated by Nancy LeBaronand Yvonne Quahe. Three workshops were scheduled: two were held and one was cancelled.The two workshops took place on October 24, 2011 and February 13, 2012, with a total of30 participants.The feedback received in FY12 rated the workshops as being extremely valuable to participantsand their families' adjustment to the U.S. and the DC sub-culture and contributed totheir understanding of the WBG. Participants felt that the principal benefit to them was therealization that they are not alone and that others are facing similar challenges.After many years of invaluable service, Nancy announced that she would no longer be ableto facilitate the Surviving Culture Shock Workshops. She will be greatly missed and WBFNwishes her all the best in her future activities.Call Center and Buddy SystemThrough the WBFN Call Center, WBFN members who have been living in the DCmetro area for a while use their experience to offer a warm welcome by telephone to newWBFN members who have arrived in the past three months. In some special circumstances,through the Buddy System, one-on-one support is provided to newcomers by memberswho come from the same country, speak the same language or have similar backgrounds.FY12 saw a number of developments for the Buddy System and what is now known as the“Call Center”. At the beginning of the fiscal year, the Welcoming Team was keen to lookfor ways to improve and systematize the process of making initial welcoming phone callsto newcomers in the DC area. As a result, a new WBFN Call Center was created to ensurethat future newcomers would be contacted soon after their arrival in a more organized way.Launched in January 2012 and supported by the Membership Management System (MMS),which makes the process more accurate and manageable, the Call Center has generated encouragingresults so far. Forty-nine percent of newcomers arriving between January 2012 andthe end of the fiscal year were successfully welcomed by phone within three months, andanother 5% did not require a welcoming call, having already attended a Welcoming Coffee orSpouse/Partner Orientation session. It remains a problem that many newcomers are unreachabledue to the lack of a valid/up-to-date telephone number or email address.In parallel to the development of the Call Center, the Buddy System was also incorporatedinto the MMS, making it simpler to assign buddies to newcomers who may have particulardifficulties with their relocation, and to track this process.There is still much to be done but the continuous flow of fresh ideas and suggestions fromvolunteers maintains the Call Center and Buddy System as a critical area of WBFN’s Welcomingactivities.34 35

Career and Volunteering ProgramWBFN’s Career & Volunteering Program (C&V) supports spouses and partners transitioninginto their new environment in the Washington, DC metro area by concentratingon the nexus between careers and volunteering opportunities. Through C&V, WBFN isable to keep up-to-date with career-related concerns emanating from the membership.In the first half of FY12, a team of five volunteers developed a C&V strategy. The team benefitedfrom input and advice from past and present EC members and WBFN volunteers inother programs. The strategy was approved by the Executive Committee in November 2011,and the program was operationalized in January 2012. The C&V strategy calls for an explicitevaluation of its usefulness prior to continuing the service in January 2013.The program offers four key services and is built to provide supplementary offers as additionalresources become available. Thus far, C&V offers:1. Orientations: Two-hour orientations introduce participants to the cultural significanceof volunteering in the U.S. and explore volunteering opportunities related to participants’interests and careers. The main purpose is to expose participants to concrete volunteeringopportunities.2. Thematic Sessions: Bi-weekly, two-hour sessions provide an opportunity for participantsto engage with presenters to improve their understanding of the workforce and theirprofession in the U.S.3. Professional Groups: These groups allow WBFN members to build a lasting networkwith other members from similar industries. Participants support each other throughthe job-seeking and career development process, by sharing experiences and suggestingrelevant resources and opportunities. Groups also take on capacity-building projects thatsupport C&V and other WBFN programs.4. Google Group: Participants who attend three or more C&V events have the opportunityto join a C&V Google Group, using email to share career-related information andresources.FN’s engagement with members who have day-jobs, Orientations and management meetingsare held in the evenings, while Professional Groups usually choose to meet during the day.In FY13, C&V intends to continue to grow their current services and expand into new areas,including extending outreach and serving members abroad, improving C&V’s links withother WBFN programs, and engaging with more external organizations.Since its launch in January until June 2012, C&V has achieved:• 60 regular C&V members• 90% of participants attend three C&V events or more• 30% of attendees are men• The engagement ratio of members taking on responsibilities has been evenly splitbetween men and women• 4 external organizations engaged with C&V• 3 Orientations held• 10 Thematic Sessions held• 3 Professional Groups established by members (Finance, Social Media and InternationalDevelopment).C&V is run by a volunteer Management Team with support from the WBFN office. TheManagement Team meets bi-weekly and coordinates via email. In order to strengthen WB-36 37

CommunicationsMosaicMosaic is WBFN’s monthly newsletter, distributed to over 4500 members, in printedform and/or as a pdf by email. A more in-depth version is also available online in theform of Mosaicplus. Mosaic keeps members informed about WBFN events and issues ofrelevance to WBG families, and gives members an opportunity to write and share theirexperiences. Ten issues are published each year (September – June).FY12 has been a year of transformation and evolution for Mosaic, as almost every year is. InSeptember 2011, the Mosaic Team waved goodbye to its longtime editor, Vidya Rangan, andwelcomed Amy Chamberlain. Following the expected learning curve, the Team—togetherwith the invaluable support of the WBFN office staff—found its feet. More streamlined administrativeprocesses followed, making it easier for new volunteers to get on board.After many months of planning and refining, volunteer designer Eva Calonder and PublicationsCoordinator Gilda Dadush launched a completely new look for Mosaic in October2011. Cleaner, simpler and more professional, Mosaic’s new design drew a lot of positive feedbackfrom readers. Over the year, as team members came and went, the Mosaic Team strivedto distribute workload between office staff and volunteers in a manageable way, althoughmuch work remains to be done. Going forward, Mosaic will continue to evolve by findingways to survey the interests and needs of the readership.Electronic MediaIn the last few years, huge progress has been made in electronic media and WBFN isacutely aware of the need to update its electronic means of communication to better meetthe needs of its members.This past year, a number of groups were formed to work on developing a new WBFN website,with a number of aims:• To restructure and redesign the current website to offer an easier and more intuitivenavigation experience;• To identify the best platform to make future updates and site maintenance easier;• To enable interactive communication with and among members, therefore allowingmembers to contribute more actively to the community.In FY11, WBFN was considering using the Moodle platform to develop the new website.However, after a lot of work and thought, it became clear that Moodle is better suited toonline classes such as WBFN’s Financial Literacy Classes, rather than a full website. WilsonMagaya’s input was instrumental in the final decision to use the Drupal platform, a ContentManagement System (CMS) that will help reach the goals above.Marie-Anne Chambonnier, Cristina Elena Ospino, Mishi Mirza and Mawussi Zevounoubegan by helping to create a new content structure, and Matt Donguk Cho, Ruby Shamayleh,Shalu Nariani and Meg Walker have been working on actual content development withWilson. At the same time, new WBFN members Alain Cornet, Cecilia Neher and Pedro Saacame up with the idea of an interactive Knowledge Exchange tool that would allow WBFNmembers to share common interests and information online. This effort coincided with theWorld Bank’s development of an e-tool—eScoop—that happens to provide the functionalitiesrequired. The project was approved by the EC and should be rolled out as a pilot duringFY13.During the past year, WBFN continued to distribute the e-newsletter, @-a-glance, everymonth except July and August, although there is a plan to send July and August issues thiscoming summer in order to update and remind members about our summer events andprograms. Going forward, WBFN will also further explore social media such as Facebook tocommunicate better with members.38 39

Finally, WBFN is aware of a serious need to coordinate the look and feel of all publicationsand communications—the website, @-a-glance, Mosaic, posters, etc.—so as to create an easilyidentifiable image for the organization. Work has already begun on developing a WBFNbranding strategy and this will continue in FY13 thanks to WBFN members with marketingbackgrounds: Florinda D’Eugenio, Cecilia Neher, Olga Nazarko-Jesus and Pedro Saa.WBFN has been extremely lucky this past year to be able to rely on very talented new volunteers,writers, web designers, programmers, marketers… and as always the invaluable criticaland knowledgeable input of Louise Shimizu. Furthermore, no regular updating could beachieved without the work of our office staff.40th Anniversary PublicationThe year 2012 marked the 40th anniversary of WBFN. By summer 2011, the process ofplanning a celebratory anniversary publication highlighting some of the organization’smajor achievements over the past four decades was underway.In September 2011 a carefully structured plan of action was developed and some 16 volunteerseagerly stepped forward to conduct research about WBFN, to write and edit chapters, toidentify photographs for inclusion, and to create a suitable and innovative graphical design.The team has tried to identify major themes and impacts of WBFN and to present these in away that would be appealing to newly arrived members.Although there was no lack of enthusiasm and energy amongst the team, several issuesemerged that slowed down and, ultimately, forced a re-think of the publication’s design andstructure. Volunteers’ personal and professional obligations made it difficult to ensure continuityin the workflow. Facts and details related to the organization’s history and achievementswere at times difficult to discern from the available written documentation, and relying onpersonal recollections became difficult. These challenges forced the team to move away fromattempting to produce a full history of WBFN and focus on creating a shorter, booklet stylepublication.June 2012 saw a changeover in the team heading this project as well as in the WBFN leadership.It is hoped that the publication will be available to the membership in FY13.40 41

Members AbroadThe Members Abroad Team aims to enhance WBFN’s outreach to members moving toor living at WBG Country or Field Offices around the world and to create stable andefficient ways to communicate with them wherever they are. The Team provides informationto spouses and partners about other WBG families in Country Offices, shares contactinformation, and offers advice on how they can form their own communities once incountry,among other things.Continuing last year’s good workIn winter 2011 the Members Abroad Team, headed by Karin Metz, made an extraordinary effortto finalize and widely distribute a document to help WBFN members posted at CountryOffices establish their own WBFN chapters, which had been worked on in FY11. The finaldocument, entitled “Ideas for Welcoming Newcomers and Forming a Spouse/Partner Groupat your Country Office”, was publicized through Mosaic and uploaded to the website for allmembers to access in November 2011, and proved to be inspirational.Also a continuation from FY11, the Members Abroad Team began FY12 by working on thedevelopment of a platform to help WBFN members at all Country Offices to communicatewith each other electronically. Through the work also taking place on revamping the WBFNwebsite as a whole, an appropriate platform—Drupal—was discovered, which will allow forthe international interactivity desired by the Members Abroad Team.Forming a new teamBefore leaving the Team, Karin identified an enthusiastic and capable volunteer to take onthe role, as well as some new team members to support her. At the beginning of 2012, AishaKashif and the new Team hit the ground running by making their presence felt at OverseasAssignment Briefings, Welcoming Coffees, etc. and putting together an outline of their workand goals for the rest of the year.Connecting with Regional Mobility AssistantsIn January 2012, the IFC invited the Regional Mobility Assistants (RMAs) from variousCountry Offices to Washington, DC. WBFN met with the RMAs and presented the scopeof its work and the Members Abroad Team shared information about how it reaches out tomembers at Country Offices, which was positively received. As a follow up to this event aformal letter was sent to the RMAs, reiterating the Members Abroad Team’s interest in forgingand maintaining a productive partnership. In order to keep our partners informed aboutWBFN activities, PDF versions of the Mosaic newsletter are now emailed to the RMAs andto the World Bank Relocation Focal Points each month. The Members Abroad Team hasalso held video conferences with RMAs, Global Staff Mobility, and spouses in Country Offices—namelyBuenos Aires and Accra—which have proved to be very useful. The Team looksforward to further connecting with RMAs and maintaining fruitful working partnershipswith them.Establishing WBFN chapters overseasIn the past few years, many members have spearheaded small groups in Country Offices thatget together at informal gatherings, where all or most of the attendees are WBG spouses andpartners. WBFN has been supportive of their interests and endeavor of providing informaladvice and information to relocating families. This year, two of these groups formally decidedto come under the WBFN umbrella. The Members Abroad Team provided the in-countryspouses with support and guidance in the form of ideas, some information on rules, andtheir own @wbfn.org email addresses. Thus, WBFN Kenya and WBFN Argentina were established.In a short amount of time, these two groups proved to be outstanding in theirachievements by conducting meetings, collecting information about newcomers, and makingtheir presence felt within the community by reaching out to Country Office managementand others. Since its formation in early 2012, WBFN Kenya has welcomed 55 members, andcontinues to experiment with online forums, outings and coffee mornings.WBFN Argentina’s main aim is to actively advocate to make it easier for spouses and partnersto find work, given certain difficulties in applying for work in the country. One spouse hasalso formed a United Nations Local Expatriate Association (UNLESA) in Buenos Aires andis looking into creative ways to partner with UN spouses and partners as well.Meetings, video conferences and phone calls have also taken place with members who haveexpressed an interest in forming WBFN chapters in Accra, Ghana, and Istanbul, Turkey. Asalways, the Members Abroad Team has strived to provide them with all necessary informationand encouragement, and our Global Staff Mobility partners have also been engaged inthe process.42 43

These growing local WBFN chapters are shining examples of outreach, welcoming, and advocacy—allof which are WBFN ideals to live by.Spouse Issues CommitteeThe primary function of the Spouse Issues Committee is to advocate on behalf of spouses,partners and family members of WBG staff to the WBG. In addition, the Committeeprovides support to spouses and partners of WBG staff who are experiencing problems intheir relationship, providing information or directing them to sources of information.Members of the Spouse Issues Committee in FY12 were Fiona Oliphant, Hilary Welch andAnnemarie Brink Olsen. The nature of the work does not require a large committee, but supportfrom Catherine Mathieu, WBFN Coordinator, and the WBFN office staff is important,as they are, from time to time, the first point of contact for WBFN members seeking help.This year, the Committee continued to work with and support the WBG DA PreventionCoordinator Elizabeth Legrain, as well as working with COPE Inc., the provider of professionalcounseling services for spouses and partners via The Family Counseling Service and forthose experiencing abuse in their relationships via The HUB. The Committee is grateful thattechnology has made it possible to retain a productive connection with Malahat Baig-Aminfrom the Middle East.The Committee generally meets weekly to consider issues where WBFN might work to improveWBG policies and practices that disadvantage our members, and then with the DAPrevention Coordinator to review any situations where the committee might be able to providemore immediate, individual and particular help.The Committee chair and one other member represent WBFN on the WBG Domestic AbusePrevention Task Force. Membership of the Task Force has afforded us the opportunity tomeet and work with staff from Bank departments including Security, Ethics, Health Services,and Legal, all of whom can assist in cases of Domestic Abuse. The Staff Association is alsorepresented. Lawyers from DVLeap as well as counselors from COPE are members of theTask Force. The Committee is particularly grateful to Fons Marcellis, HRSCO, Chair of theTask Force, who continues to champion this important cause.AdvocacyThe work on the procurement process for a third party vendor continued from last year withthe technical evaluation taking place in November. The contract with COPE Inc. was renewed.44 45

WBFN’s activities are educational, social, cultural, professional,or all of these! From annual picnics, children’sparties, and dinners, to language classes, art exhibits,and book groups, WBFN activities cater to adults andchildren alike.activities48social, cultural, professional...

Special EventsAnnual Potluck PicnicThe Annual Potluck Picnic is a long-running tradition at WBFN, bringing WBG spouses/partners, staff, and families together for a day of fun and food during the fall. Each guestis asked to contribute a plate of food to share, and games and activities keep childrenentertained for the afternoon.170 adults and children attended WBFN’s 2011 Annual Potluck Picnic on October 15, heldat the Bretton Woods Recreation Center in Germantown, Maryland. Families got involvedin playing games and Men@WBFN volunteers coached soccer for children and adults alike.While most of those who attended were seasoned members, the organizers were pleased towelcome among the newcomers one family who had arrived in DC only two days before!Difficulties in recruiting volunteers for the day left a small group of volunteers with a greatresponsibility on the day, which they managed with patience and skill. Their willingness andeffort made the picnic enjoyable for all those that attended.Following the 2011 Fall Picnic, the Executive Committee decided to test the concept of holdingthe Annual Picnic in the spring rather than the fall. As a result, the first Spring Picnicwas organized for Saturday, April 14, 2012. With its “African safari” theme, the Spring Picnicattracted around 250 attendees who spent the afternoon sharing and enjoying delicious food,playing games, and taking part in numerous activities led by WBFN volunteers. Given thesuccess of the Spring Picnic, it was decided that, going forward, the Annual Picnic will alwaysbe held in spring.Children’s Holiday PartyThe Children’s Holiday Party (CHP) is an annual gathering of WBFN members andtheir spouses/partners and children to celebrate the winter holiday season. The party usuallytakes place in the Atrium of the WBG’s MC building. Attendees enjoy light refreshments,games, entertainment, and much more.This year, the CHP was attended by 636 parents and children and the atmosphere was funand welcoming. The theme was The Polar Express, shown through impressive decoration allover the MC Atrium. This year’s entertainment was again provided by Barry the Magician,who never fails to delight the children. The spread of party food was very popular and therewere almost no leftovers to deal with at the end.As in previous years, a check of the money raised by ticket sales was presented to the Children’sLaw Center (CLC), this year for $3000. This money was used to brighten the holidayseason for 15 local children. This year it became clear that it would be more effective to presentthe check to the CLC just before the magician’s show rather than afterwards, as morepeople are present.A new system of timed tickets to see Santa was implemented this year. Upon arrival at theparty, each child received a ticket with a set time for their visit to Santa. This system helped toreduce the size of the line and meant that there was no line left by the time the party ended.This year, the party was lucky to have seven face painters. The larger number of face paintersmeant that they could rotate and each take a break.One challenge identified was that the team had difficulty communicating with each otherduring the party itself, and it was suggested that some walkie talkies should be purchased fornext year’s party (and other WBFN events).50 51

Annual DinnerWBFN’s Annual Dinner is a time for all members and their spouses/partners, as well asWBFN’s partners in the Bank, to come together, reflect upon the past year, acknowledgethe hard work of the volunteers and staff, honor the MMMF recipients, and thank ourWBG partners and supporters.This year’s Annual Dinner, attended by 106 people, took place on May 15 in the 12th floorGallery of the MC Building. The gallery was elegantly decorated by volunteers, and particularlySadeem Munirahmad Alkadi, who created wonderful centerpieces using single vaseswith tulips. Guests were delighted to take the vases home as a gift from our organization.A projected photo slideshow provided an attractive backdrop to the dinner. Carefully preparedby Gilda Dadush and Louise Shimizu, the photos showed WBFN volunteers “at work”on various programs and activities, giving volunteers the recognition they deserve for theircontinuous commitment while also showing what WBFN is all about.As an engaging Master of Ceremony, Johannes Tonn introduced the keynote speaker, CarolineD. Anstey, WBG Managing Director. Caroline underlined WBFN’s most impressiveachievements from the past year and, above all, recognized the important role played byWBFN in improving the welfare of WBG families.Annemarie Brink Olsen, outgoing WBFN President, then gave a speech wrapping up theyear’s events and thanking the volunteers for their collaboration.Further highlights included an introduction to the 19 MMMF recipients, as well as the presentationof the new WBFN Presidents and Executive Committee members.To create an enjoyable and relaxing environment, a family-style Moroccan dinner was servedand the night ended with a performance by Nirathi Rao Kalavapudi from the RhythmayaSchool of Dance. The sounds of Bollywood-style music spread through the gallery and manyguests tested their dance skills under Nirathi’s guidance.Office GatheringsOffice Gatherings are a new activity introduced at WBFN in FY12. They are socialgatherings that take place in the WBFN office, normally with some finger food and drinksprovided. They take place during work hours or after—whichever is most convenient forthe invitees. A Gathering may be held for all WBFN members or for specific groups ofmembers, for example all of the Parents and Tots groups. WBFN’s friends and partnersfrom within the Bank are also often invited, depending on the occasion.In July 2011, WBFN moved to a new, open, and spacious office in the J building. This newspace inspired WBFN to open the office for regular social gatherings for members, partnersand friends. Naturally, the first opportunity was to arrange a Move-In Party to welcome allnew as well as seasoned members to warm up the new WBFN base. Held in the evening, itwas a great success with more than 100 members and their families, and WBFN friends andpartners in attendance. It was a joy to see the diversity of members engaged in conversationwith one another and with WBFN friends and partners—a great networking opportunity.The next event came at the beginning of 2012 with a New Year’s Gathering, also a huge successwith nearly 100 attendees.This year’s finale was inspired by an email conversation with the coordinator of the VirginiaParents and Tots Group, Louise Touber. The result was a chance for all of the parents andyoungsters from the Virginia, Maryland, and DC Parents and Tots groups to come togetherin one location for a day of relaxed talk, food, play, and fun activities. Staff members and olderchildren were also invited, given the timing of the gathering during the summer vacation.The volunteers involved in organizing these three events had fun and found the gatheringsvery rewarding.It was an enjoyable evening and guests gave positive and encouraging feedback.52 53

Art ExhibitsAll WBFN members and their immediate relations are welcome to display their creationsat the WBFN Gallery in the WBFN Conference Room. The Gallery enjoys a large varietyof work, including fine arts, jewelry, photography, ceramics, drawings and textiles. Theartists are encouraged to have an opening reception and to inform WBG staff of the eventby posting flyers. The artists can promote or sell their work during special events such asthe opening reception, and they are asked to donate 15 percent of the sales to the MMMFor the Book Project. Exhibits display for approximately one month.From December 2011 to the end of January 2012, the Gallery hosted a collection of paintingsby WBFN member Marie-Dominique Bondet de la Bernardie, entitled "Vision".From February to mid-March 2012, WBFN member Susanne Kasielke displayed her series ofpaintings, "Abstract Insights". Susanne makes use of a Picasso quote to explain how abstractart helps her to see more clearly: "Art washes from the soul the dust of everyday life".From mid-March to mid-April 2012, WBFN member Mabel Cabezas exhibited her collectionof silk paintings. Mabel first developed an interest in silk painting 15 years ago, andshe appreciates the versatility of the technique, which gives space to improvisation. Her loveof painting led her to research pre-Columbian culture and how to interpret it through hermedium.Career Networking Events and Happy HoursCareer Networking Events and Happy Hours are networking evenings organized threetimes a year in turn by WBFN, the Inter-American Development Bank Family Association(IDBFA) and the International Monetary Fund Family Association (IMFFA). Theaim is for attendees to mingle, share, connect, network and learn from each other primarilyfor career-related purposes, but also for social endeavors or projects.In FY12 WBFN had a dedicated team of six organizers putting in a tremendous number ofhours to make the WBFN Happy Hour a success. The organizers split into four teams: overallcoordination and programming, communications and media, registration and internallogistics, and catering and external logistics. Volunteers from all three organizations steppedin to make the event possible and they welcomed about 200 attendees in the World BankC-Building.WBFN invited speakers from various organizations, including Charlotte Jones-Carroll, thePresident of the MMMF, Debbie DeChambeau, an independent consultant and career networkingcoach, and Annemarie Brink-Olsen, the WBFN President, to speak on the topic ofvolunteering, networking and their combined added value when pursuing a career.From mid-April to mid-May 2012, the Gallery featured an exhibition entitled "She andHerself", by Pritthijit (Raja) Kundu. Raja, an architect by profession, enjoys fine arts andphotography as ardent hobbies. In this exhibition, Raja explored a number of moods andemotions of women through visual concepts.54 55

Teen Summer ProgramThe Teen Summer Program (TSP) is an annual educational program for 16 to 18 yearoldchildren of WBG, IMF and IADB staff, organized by the family associations of thethree organizations. Around 32 teens spend three weeks visiting the WBG, IMF andIADB to watch presentations, listen to lectures, participate in workshops, volunteer, andmost importantly, learn about the cultures of the international organizations in whichtheir parents work.Celebrating its 6th year, the TSP hosted 32 teens selected from 63 applicants, from June 27to July 14 2011. The WBFN segment of the program was coordinated by volunteers LuisaLopes, Karen Clarke-Stange, Guili Zhou and Rosmarijn Sales, who spent many months inpreparation, showing their commitment and proving that the dedication, motivation, andteamwork of a few volunteers can go a long way. Numerous WBFN chaperones were alsocrucial to the success of the program.In FY12, a slightly higher fee of $150 was charged for each teen. Each year, at least 50% ofthis fee is donated to charity while the rest covers the cost of materials and food.This year, the teens spent time learning how the uppermost levels of the WBG function bytaking part in a mock Board meeting in the WBG Boardroom, as well as discovering theWBG project planning process by simulating their own project. The teens were also treatedto an interactive presentation at the IFC, as well as visits to the WBFN Book Project anda half-day with the WBFN Mosaic Team. During their time at the IMF the teens enjoyedan interactive workshop on communicating across cultures, an art activity to create a logofacilitated by IMF communications staff, a workshop on developing interviewing skills, anda mock mission. The IADB portion of the TSP introduced the teens to the Mary’s Center, alocal charity at which they spent the day volunteering. Presentations about development furtheredthe teens’ knowledge of the IADB’s work, and a workshop entitled “Theater for BetterCommunication” sharpened the teens’ communication skills.Feedback from the teens was very positive overall, and the interactive sessions, volunteeringprojects, and simulations proved to be particularly popular.Fee-based ClassesEnglish ClassesResponding to requests from WBFN spouses/partners for convenient and relatively inexpensiveEnglish courses, WBFN, in consultation with professional English for Speakersof other Languages (ESOL) teachers, created its own unique English language programto serve its members in 2008. Three levels of instruction are offered, to cater to WBFNmembers’ varying abilities.In FY12:• Over 2,000 hours of English instruction provided• 51 students, new or returning• Courses divided into 3 levels of ability• 2-hour classes held twice a week• Average of 25 students attending per semester• Individual class size of 8-9 students• 40 hours of class time for each student per semester, with some continuing for 2semesters.In FY12, each student was interviewed and placed in the appropriate classes; an openingcoffee for teachers and students was held each semester in the WBFN office; potluck luncheswere arranged each semester; and after-class lunches with fellow students and teachers wereshared in the cafeteria.Modest fees for books and tuition were charged, and the three teachers were hired as shorttermconsultants. Sarah Brau and Carmela Cosans continued as teachers this year, whileMichele Schimetat left after the first semester for an overseas posting. Anu Mishra joined theteachers in her place.With an emphasis on acquiring language through community-building, the impact of thisWBFN program has significantly enhanced spouse/partner language and coping skills andquality of life for family members and staff. The classes are also a significant intake point56 57

for new WBFN volunteers, as students recognize the value of WBFN’s outreach efforts andalready feel part of its community.There is a plan to increase in fall 2012 the length and number of classes to create more of animmersion approach to learning English. Although this will increase tuition and other expenses,demand for quicker development of English skills for job searches and other areas oflife has increased. This pilot would test the waters for this level of involvement.Business English ClassesBusiness English classes offer an overview of the full range of spoken business communicationskills, including cultural differences, overviews of meetings, and presentationand negotiating skills. Teaching methods used include case studies, group and individualpresentations and peer critique, as well as the more traditional methods associated withlanguage learning, such as grammar and usage exercises and pronunciation.During FY12, the WBFN calendar included one of the same offerings for Business English aswere offered the previous years: Communicating in Business. The full series includes a courseon Business Presentations and another on Business Negotiations. These were not offered thisyear due to lack of instructor availability.The Communicating in Business course involved 24 hours of classroom time. Both the instructorand the students needed to spend a minimum of 1-2 hours preparing outside theclass in order to maximize the utility of class time for all concerned. Enrollments in thecourse were 13 in number. Although there was a structured content outline for each class, aninteractive approach to learning directed the sessions towards the learners’ needs and drew ontheir professional and life experiences. Thus, although these were primarily language courses,participants developed and applied business skills, including problem solving, teamwork,and business relationship building. These skills are easily transferable and vital to individualsuccess in a U.S. business setting.Feedback from participants has been very positive and it is anticipated that the full series ofBusiness English courses will be offered in FY13.58 59

Computer ClassesWBFN Computer Classes have been running since 1994 and were originally designed tointroduce WBFN members to the basic functions of computer software and systems.The number of computer classes being offered has deliberately been reduced each year dueto decreased demand for introductory level classes, which are gradually being replaced withadvanced level sessions. Recently, classes in Adobe Photoshop Elements, Adobe InDesign andAdobe Dreamweaver have been introduced. On average, one new class is developed per year.In FY12, 12 classes were offered, although only eight were held:• Advanced MS Excel (October 2011 and February 2012)• Adobe Dreamweaver – Part I (December 2011)• Adobe Dreamweaver – Part II (December 2011)• Adobe InDesign (November 2011)• Adobe Photoshop Elements (November 2011 and March 2012)• Microsoft Access (April 2012)The average number of attendees at each course was 4-5.At the end of FY12, instructor and WBFN IT-support Tania Gnesdilova and her husbandwere posted to Moscow for a 2-3 year assignment. After Tania leaves DC in winter 2012, thecomputer classes will be discontinued until a new instructor is found. Tania and her expertisewill be sorely missed at WBFN.Financial Literacy CoursesThe purpose of the financial literacy courses is to introduce participants to the financialworld and equip them to make informed financial decisions about spending, saving andinvesting. This knowledge empowers families and is essential learning for every familyregardless of nationality or age. Three core courses are offered: one seminar, “Money Matters”,as well as two online courses, “Budgeting: Developing a Financial Road Map” and“Savings and Investments”. Two other seminars supplement these core courses: “Getting onwith Money” and “Time Management”. All face-to-face seminars are Washington-based,but WBFN welcomes participants from around the world who happen to be visiting theWashington area from a Country Office at the time.For the tenth year, WBFN sponsored a face-to-face seminar, Money Matters. Held twice ayear, this seminar introduces spouses and partners to the financial vocabulary and conceptsneeded to understand and use the benefits offered through the World Bank Group and toexplain the importance of pension plans. Money Matters took place on October 18 and 19,2011 and again on February 21 and 22, 2012. 19 participants signed up, including membersvisiting DC from overseas.An online course, Budgeting: Developing a Financial Road Map, is offered to Washingtonand Country Office-based spouses/partners twice a year. This course teaches the essentialbackdrop for savings and investment decisions: setting up efficient recordkeeping, creatinga budget, tracking expenses, getting out of debt, setting financial goals and determining networth. The November 2011 and February 2012 courses involved 20 participants.The Savings and Investments course, also online, was not offered in FY12 as it is currentlybeing revised and updated. Getting on with Money also did not take place due to insufficientregistrations.The Time Management seminar was held on October 20, 2011 and had nine participants,including members visiting DC from overseas.The benefits of these courses are many, some of them unexpected. Participants report enhancedinterest in finance in general and this manifests in some joining groups learning aboutstock markets and investing in a personal portfolio. They report better communication in60 61

the home with their spouse or partner and they report increased savings and lowered tensionabout money matters in general. In addition, the online courses bring people from variousglobal regions into contact through the financial chatrooms facilitated on the e-platform.Members-to-MembersLanguagesAdvanced English/Introduction to LiteratureThis class, taught by Helen Maybury, meets once a week for two hours at Helen’s homein Falls Church, Virginia. Members take turns reading short passages, with occasionalbreaks to clarify difficult vocabulary. Helen provides a brief biography of the author underdiscussion as well as a lexicon of the more difficult words. Classes conclude with lightrefreshments.This year, the class read American short stories selected from the anthology “The OxfordBook of American Short Stories”, edited by Joyce Carol Oates. Helen spent an average of 3-4hours each week in preparation for the classes, and the most rewarding aspect was formingfriendships with women from many different countries.At the beginning of the year, seven or eight WBFN members expressed an interest in joiningthe class, although only five began to participate regularly. Helen looks forward to repeatingthe class next year.Intermediate FrenchThe Intermediate French Group meets weekly. Classes develop participants’ French languageskills.The group continued to meet throughout FY12, getting together every Thursday from10:00am to 12:00 noon. Catherine Gouarne continued as the group teacher.Advanced Spanish ConversationThe Advanced Spanish Conversation group has been meeting for over 20 years with thesame coordinator and the same core members. The group reads short stories written bywell-known Spanish-speaking writers and articles from newspapers and magazines. Eachyear, the group organizes a Christmas party and a picnic, to which spouses/partners areinvited.62 63

In FY12, the group met every Friday from 11:00am to 1:00pm—except during the summer—atvarious members’ homes. Of a total of 13 members, each meeting was attended byan average of eight. As in previous years, the group organized additional activities such as tripsto the theater, the movies, museums, and concerts.Book GroupsAfrican Book GroupThe African Book Group has been meeting on the third Monday of the month for over30 years. The group meets from September through June and the December meeting isan evening potluck event, to which spouses/partners are also invited. The African BookGroup has always been a self-selecting group of women with some connection to Africa,often through birth or work. Meetings take place in the participants’ homes, and lightrefreshments are provided by the host.FY12 was a good year for the group, with 8-14 participants attending each meeting—the perfectnumbers for discussing books. The group chose to read the following books by authorsfrom as many different African countries as possible (brackets show the country of origin ofthe author and the host of the meeting):• Pieternella, Daughter of Eva, by Marlene Matthee (South Africa, Binny Saker)• Cutting For Stone, by Abraham Verghese (Ethiopia, Monica Schott)• Slave: My True Story, by Mende Nazer (Sudan, Vim Maguire)• The Devil That Danced On Water, by Aminatta Forna (Sierra Leone, Melitta Carter)• Absent: The English Teacher, by John Eppel (Zimbabwe, Veronica Murphy)• Mighty Be Our Powers, by Leymah Gbowee (Liberia, Ileana DeGeyndt)• Poor Mercy, by Jonathan Falla (Sudan, Mary Kay Smith)• House of Stone, by Christina Lamb (Zimbabwe, Nandini Lal)This year, the African Book Group’s June meeting was also a potluck event, organized jointlywith the English Book Group and hosted by Vim Maguire in her lovely garden.During FY12, two coordinators shared the administrative duties, with Debra Byam researchingthe author and keeping track of attendance and the books read, and Melitta Carter keepingthe group organized and communicating with the WBFN office and Mosaic. At the endof FY12, Melitta passed this function on to Alison Ordu, who has been a member of thegroup since the 1990s.64 65

American Book GroupThe American Book Group, established in FY11, concentrates on reading books only byAmerican authors and discussing American culture in literature. Meetings are generallyheld on the third Thursday of the month at a café, La Madeleine.The American Book Group continued to meet during FY12, and saw a change of coordinatorwhen Michele Schimetat left the U.S., with Carmela Cosans taking up the role.Meetings generally had between 2 and 4 participants. Going forward, the group hopes tomake WBFN members more aware that the group is continuing, mainly through spreadingthe word among other WBFN group organizers and the WBFN English teachers.English Book GroupThe English Book Group has over 20 members who meet monthly to socialize and discussa book they have read for the occasion. Books are mainly fiction, range from classicsthrough recent publications, and are chosen by consensus from member suggestions. Themain criteria are high quality and the potential for stimulating discussion of topics suchas love, war, art, religion and politics. Members take turns to host meetings. A HolidayPotluck (including significant others) and a Summer Potluck (together with the AfricanBook Group) are also held, and the latter has a theme or invited speaker. The group hasexisted for more than 20 years.Over the past fiscal year, members enjoyed a series of eight book discussion meetings, as wellas a few extra cultural events. The works that provided fodder for ever-lively discussions were:• Sea of Poppies, by Amitav Ghosh• Even Silence has an End, by Ingrid Betancourt• Incendiary, by Chris Cleave• The Art of Racing in the Rain, by Garth Stein• The Suspicions of Mr. Whicher, by Kate Summerscale• Cakes and Ale, by Somerset Maugham• The Hare With Amber Eyes, by Edmund de Waal• The Lacuna, by Barbara Kingsolver• The Summer Potluck included a viewing of The Happy Movie.Through no-holds-barred discussions, strong friendships have arisen. Membership has beenstable. Changes included Elsa van Wersch’s return to the Netherlands, from where she remainsin touch, as do several other former members now also living permanently overseas.Barbara Cackler took over from Sabine Tourreilles as co-coordinator with Myra Jacobs insummer 2011.66 67

French Book GroupThe French Book Group has been running for over 20 years and approximately 10 membersform the core group. Due to frequent travels and personal commitments, the monthlymeetings are usually attended by 6–8 participants. Members take turns to host the twohourmeetings at their homes.The French Book Group read the following books between September 2011 and June 2012:• Clara Malraux, by Dominique Bona• L'evangile selon Pilate, by Eric Emmanuel Schmitt• Une si longue lettre, by Mariama Ba• Le philosophe nu, by Alexandre Jollien• Une femme, by Annie Ernaux• Le remplaçant, by Agnès Desarthe• Une poignée de gens, by Anne Wiazemsky• Les croisades vues par les arabes, by Amin Maalouf• Un ange cornu avec des ailes de tôle, by Michel Tremblay• Lettres persanes, by MontesquieuGerman Book GroupThe German Book Group meets every third Wednesday of the month for two hours. Thegroup concentrates on reading contemporary German literature from German-speakingcountries (Germany, Austria, and Switzerland); they also read and discuss contemporarybooks from other European countries that have been translated into German.During FY12, the German Book Group continued to meet on a monthly basis, discussing anumber of different books during each session, as only one copy of the books to be discussedduring the year is ordered. Group members took turns to host discussion sessions in theirhomes, and each was followed by a luncheon provided by the host.For the most part, all of this year’s books—even Le philosophe nu, which was unanimouslyconsidered to be the most arduous to read—have been fairly well received and have provokeda lively discussion.For the past few years, two or three volunteers have taken turns to order between 6 and 8 copiesof each book in advance through Amazon.fr. However, the group has experienced somedifficulties in receiving all the books on time from Amazon. For that reason, the group hasdecided that starting in September 2012, before each quarter, each member will be responsiblefor handling his/her own order of three or four books that will have been unanimouslypre-approved for discussion by the group.68 69

Parents and Tots GroupsDowntown BabiesEstablished over two years ago, the Downtown Babies group (DC) provides a social networkfor new and established DC mothers and their preschool children. The group meetsevery Wednesday in members’ homes or child-friendly locations around DC.The Downtown Babies group continued to meet weekly during FY12, with a small but strongcore of mothers and babies/toddlers attending each week, and up to eight mothers attendingat a time. The group also met with other moms who could no longer attend the Wednesdaymeetings, to maintain as many links as possible. Outings in FY12 included visits to parks,museums, pools, the zoo and the Playseum, providing the children with a range of activitiesand socializing opportunities that met their needs. Email exchanges provided a forum inwhich group members could ask for advice about babysitters, schools, and non-child relatedissues.In FY12, a number of pregnancies and international moves meant that the group coordinatorsdecided it would be necessary to expand the coordination team for the next fiscal year.The group also hopes to make the meetings more sustainable by increasing the number ofmembers.Maryland Parents and TotsThe Maryland (MD) Parents and Tots group is a playgroup for WBG and IMF parentsand their children aged 0-4. Meetings take place on Tuesdays from 10:00am to 12:00noon, usually at a member’s home. The group enjoys a "Moms’ Night Out" every twomonths and a family picnic twice a year, as well as occasional summer outings. The playgroup’smain form of communication is its own webpage, BankFundKids (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/BankFundKids/). All members of the playgroup have access and can postannouncements for play dates, photos of events, useful information or comments.The group has 19 members with a total of 27 children, although not all members attendevery play date. During FY12, the playgroup arranged its usual play dates and events such as“Moms’ Night Out” and the family picnic, as well as a baby shower.This year there were two main changes in the group. First, the play dates moved fromWednesdays to Tuesdays following a vote, as many parents were engaged in other activities onWednesdays. Second, in December 2011, Adriana Ferreira handed the coordinator role overto Monica Nermark and Veronia Montfort, although she continues to support them wheneverneeded. Monica now primarily coordinates the “Moms’ Night Out” and family picnics,while Veronica coordinates the weekly activities as well as extra summer outings, welcomingnew members, and updating the website.The MD playgroup is an excellent way to engage and enrich the intercultural learning experiencefor Bank/Fund children and their parents. Parents exchange information and experienceswhile socializing and sharing common reflections on a new international setting.70 71

Virginia Parents and TotsThe Virginia (VA) Parents and Tots playgroup is an opportunity for parents and theirbabies or toddlers (up to the age of four or five) to get together. The parents discuss, shareinformation and tips and enjoy a sympathetic ear, while the children get to play with othersof the same age, often from different cultures. The playgroup meets once a week on aThursday morning from 10:00am until 12:00 noon at members’ homes or a park.Over the past year, five people contacted the coordinator for information about the group,and three of those attended fairly regularly. The number of participants at each meeting variedfrom two to eight, with more attending when there was a special event. The playgroupenjoyed two baby showers in March and April 2012. In May 2012 the group celebrated abirthday in Maryland where parents and children from the Maryland (MD) Parents and Totsgroup were also present. The playgroup also attended a parents and tots event at the WBFNoffice in June 2012. The parents and children were delighted to attend this event organizedby WBFN volunteers and staff, which connected even more parents from other WBFN playgroupsand established a closer link with the WBFN itself. The group took a trip to theWolftrap Theatre-in-the-Woods in July 2011 and hopes to arrange a similar trip next year.Duplicate BridgeWednesday Bridge GroupThe Wednesday Bridge Group, in existence since before 1973, meets on the third Wednesdayof each month from 10:00am–2:00pm for duplicate bridge and lunch.The group continued to meet throughout FY12, with 8-12 participants attending each session.However, the number of WBG spouses affiliated with the group has gradually decreasedover the years.Friday Bridge GroupThe Friday Duplicate Bridge Group gets together at different members’ homes on Fridays,from 9:30am‒2:30pm.The group continued to meet on Fridays throughout FY12.The playgroup now uses a Shutterfly Share site to upload photographs of events and to keeptrack of upcoming events using a calendar and automatic reminders. The initial setup of thesystem took some time and energy, but the playgroup is generally satisfied with its performance.72 73

Beer ClubThe Beer Club was born in December 2010 when seven men “re-invented the wheel oncemore” and decided to come together every Wednesday to enjoy a cold “mid-week beer”,network amongst each other and learn what is going on in DC.From the very start, the “founding fathers” of Beer Club knew they did not want an exclusivegroup. They would welcome both men and women, spouses/partners and Bank staff,newcomers and long-settled WBFN members, friends and neighbors, family and colleagues,consultants and folks with no link to the Bank whatsoever.Indeed, one of the ideas behind the Beer Club is precisely to get out of the Bank bubble andget to know other Washingtonians and network outside the established and most easily accessiblecircles of friends and colleagues.This year, the Beer Club has thrived on its philosophy that anyone is welcome anytime withno obligations and no need to RSVP. New members have been signing up using the bclub@wbfn.org email address. The Beer Club has been meeting every Wednesday from 6:30pmonwards at James Hoban’s Irish Pub, Dupont Circle.The Beer Club in numbers:• Total of 80 members• 8-20 participants each week• Average 2 beers per capita• New members welcome any time!International CuisineOnce a month, members of the International Cuisine group get together at a participant’shome for a cookery demonstration. The group discovers and enjoys meals from a differentnational culinary tradition each time. Every individual present receives a copy of the recipespresented in the session. All members contribute a participation fee of $20 per session,except for the host and the one in charge of preparing the food.From July 1, 2011 to June 30, 2012, the group had the pleasure of enjoying the followingdemonstrations:• September: First meeting, during which the schedule and menu for the upcoming yearwas discussed and decided upon.• October: Russian cuisine—borscht (beetroot soup), salmon koulibiac (fish pie), vatrushka(pastry with cottage cheese), and Russian apple pie.• November: no demonstration; two demonstrations given in December.• December 2: Moroccan cuisine—chicken pastilla (sweet/savory meat pie), shrimp andfish pastilla, and fruit salad.• December 16: Gingerbread house and German Christmas cookies, with homemadepanini for lunch.• January: Potluck evening, to which spouses/partners were also invited.• February: Indian cuisine—stuffed tomatoes, tandoori shrimp, tandoori chicken,tamatar toor dal (tomato lentil soup), and baked bananas with coconut and jaggery(sugar cane).• March: Thai cuisine—spicy tomato soup, Thai salad, Thai corn cakes, chicken andpeanut panang curry, and black sticky rice pudding.• April: Finnish Cuisine.• May: Moroccan cuisine—mechouia salad (grilled vegetables), chakchouka (vegetableswith poached eggs), and chocolate pear charlotte.• June: Spanish cuisine—gazpacho (cold tomato soup), and paella (rice with seafood).74 75

International Cultural GroupThe International Cultural Group meets whenever an educational or culturally interestingplace, activity or event is identified in the greater DC area. There are no fixed datesfor meetings and the number of events per year is also flexible.During the past year, the events were:• A visit to the Hillwood Estate, Museum and Gardens (May)• A tour of the Hillsborough wine-making facility (October)Investment ClubThe Wandering Winners Investment Club (WWIC) was founded in June 2001 by 25WBG spouses, all WBFN Financial Literacy students taught by Cary Clark. Most newmembers since have been graduates of the same courses. WWIC provides weekly opportunitiesto further financial awareness, develop investment skills, and enhance friendships.Members of the WWIC own a joint portfolio of securities, governed by a set of bylaws(Partnership Agreements) managed by elected officers. WWIC is registered with the NationalAssociation of Investors Corporation (NAIC), which provides information, networkingopportunities, and training. WWIC works with a broker and holds weekly studysessions for interested members to research new securities, discuss weeding and feeding theportfolio, and learn together. Decision meetings are held once a month on second Fridaysfrom 10am to 12pm at the WBFN office with up to 25 partners present.In 2011-2012, though the world economy fared slightly better than the year before, it wasstill a challenging year. Yet the WWIC was fortunate to have had a winning year, with itsportfolio beating the S&P500 once again. This was achieved by relying on the lessons learnedfrom the 2008 recession: use the down market for hidden gems; conduct broad sector studiesfor information; pay attention to defensive stocks that can weather recessions, and investin companies that do business in countries that have a relatively robust economy. WWICapproved a total of 20 securities transactions this year, including purchases and sales, with afocus on the financials, energy and beverages sectors.WWIC members and guests organized and/or attended the following educational activitiesin FY12:• Seminars: “Understanding Balance Sheets and Ratios” (in-house by member, PatriciaCaicedo); “The China Conundrum” (World Bank seminar); “Market Overview andPortfolio Review” (Mr. Ozgur Karaosmanoglu and Mr. Aydin Tuncer, Vice Presidentsand Investment Wealth Management Specialists at the Global Wealth ManagementGroup Raymond James and Associates: “Economic Outlook for 2011”)• NAIC: WWIC portfolio review, networking and exchange with other NAIC clubs• Book Review: “The Big Short” (in-house by member, Jeanne Haji)• 10th Anniversary Keynote Address by Cary Clark.76 77

2011 was also WWIC’s 10th anniversary and several events provided opportunities to celebrate.In March, members participated in a NAIC Club Anniversary event and presented itsportfolio for critique to over 50 investment clubs from around the Greater Washington areaand beyond. The portfolio received due recognition for its picks and good diversification, aswell as helpful feedback and pointers. In May, WWIC also celebrated at the WBFN AnnualMembership Meeting, followed by an in-house celebration with WWIC alumni members.Mahjong GroupMahjong is a Chinese game played using ceramic/bamboo tiles in sets of suits and windsand dragons, which helps to promote memory. A number of WBFN members started aMah Jong group in April 2012.So far, the group has received a great deal of interest. Four to six people meet weekly at thehomes of regular members from 10:00am until 12:30pm. The participants hope to expandthe group in order to make the sessions more interactive.The camaraderie of the group has worked well so far. As an international group, the participantswere used to playing different versions of the game, so following a specific book—TheMah Jong Player’s Companion, by Patricia A. Thompson and Betty Maloney—has helpedeveryone to play by the same rules. The group looks forward to memorizing more games inthe future.79

WBFN OutreachIn 1982 and 1983, World Bank spouses started the Margaret Mc-Namara Memorial Fund and the Book Project. Today, WBFNvolunteers continue to manage these two charities, which supportthe education of women and children in the developingworld: the Front Line of Development.sending, receiving, learning...

The Book ProjectEstablished in 1983, the WBFN Book Project is an all-volunteer non-profit run by familymembers of World Bank/IMF staff and retirees from these organizations. Its mission is tosupport education among young people in the developing world through book donations.This year marks the 30th Anniversary of the WBFN Book Project, as it continues to make animportant contribution to the education of young students in the developing world. Withthis significant landmark, a new assessment tool is being developed to gain insight into theorganization’s impact on the level of education at recipient schools, beginning in the Philippinesand Papua New Guinea. In these two instances, the people facilitating the distributionof the books at their final destination—who are Bank staff— have agreed to take it uponthemselves to provide questionnaires to the recipient schools and ensure their return to theBook Project.The crux of the Book Project’s success is the ongoing support of DC area counties who donatetheir textbooks and the dedication of those who have committed hundreds of volunteerhours. In spite of the introduction of e-books in some counties, donations continue at ahealthy pace with a significant increase in the number of dictionaries and encyclopedias.Although several long-time volunteers returned to their home countries this year, several newand very committed volunteers joined the organization, not to mention a number of verycapable high school and college students who opted to fulfill their community service hoursby volunteering for the Book Project.The end result for the year was the donation of three large shipments (approximately 90,000books) to schools and community libraries in Papua New Guinea, Philippines and India. Anadditional four small shipments were sent to Lesotho, South Africa, Kenya and Cote d’Ivoire(approximately 7,000 books).• 30 years of history• Total of more than 3 million books sent to over 100 recipient countries in the developingworld• Approximately 97,000 books shipped just this yearThe Margaret McNamara Memorial FundThe Margaret McNamara Memorial Fund (MMMF) selects women from developingcountries to receive educational grants that will help further their education and buildleadership skills so that they may ultimately work to benefit women and children indeveloping countries. To do this, MMMF raises funds through its annual crafts fair andthrough soliciting donations from individuals, while prudently managing its investedsavings. It maintains its public non-profit status and governs through a volunteer Boardof Directors, with many other volunteers carrying out fundraising and selection processes.In FY12, MMMF selected seven grantees from South African universities and 12 from U.S.and Canadian universities to receive grants totaling $172,000. Grantees gathered in Februaryin Pretoria and in May in Washington to share their goals and professional focus with supportersof MMMF programs.Funds for the grant programs were successfully raised through the MMMF International Artsand Crafts Fair. The Fair was held earlier than usual in October 2011, so the total revenue wasdown from the previous year but still satisfactory. Despite that, customers were inspired to doholiday shopping because of the variety of carefully selected vendors. It is truly an occasionwhere the Board and other MMMF volunteers are united in working towards success. Theannual solicitation to Friends of the MMMF was converted to a largely email solicitation,with letters sent to a fraction of the Friends for whom no email address was known, as well asto recent Bank retirees. MMMF successfully raised funds through the IMF’s Helping Handscommunity campaign and has been approved for the U.S. Government’s Combined FederalCampaign and for the World Bank Group’s Community Connections Campaign startingin Fall 2012. The MMMF benefited in 2012 from a generous memorial donation from thefamily of the late Leila Zlaoui. All of these developments will expand MMMF’s capacity togive grants.To support both fundraising and general outreach, MMMF developed a brand-specific setof communications materials, and used these for the first time at the May 2012 Forumand related events. The promotional video developed during summer 2011 was launchedon the MMMF website this fiscal year, and has been used frequently at exhibits (e.g., IMF,WBFN Career and Volunteering events, 1818 NGO Fair) to attract attention to the stories of82 83

MMMF grantees. Another momentous publication was the MMMF’s 30-Year History book,prepared completely by volunteers and launched in November 2011.As a new initiative, in June 2012, MMMF launched a pilot program with universities in fiveLatin American countries, with the aim of increasing the number of women grantees fromthat continent.The MMMF Coordinator changed this year, as Martina Adank left for graduate school inSwitzerland. The Board recruited Aparna Zaveri from among 40 excellent applicants to replaceher. New officers were elected for the MMMF Board of Directors for FY12-13: AndreeWynkoop takes over the presidency from Charlotte Jones-Carroll; Kristine Martin becomesthe new Vice-President as Sarah Brau retires from the Board, and Andrea Anayiotos takesover from Jayati Datta-Mitra as Treasurer. Long-time Board member and founding FriendsChair Dominique Lallement also completed her Board service.84 85

creditsAn organization such as WBFN cannot exist except byvirtue of those who volunteer their talents, services,and above all, their time, so willingly and unsparingly.We gratefully thank all those whose names appear inthe following pages and sincerely hope that none havebeen inadvertently omitted.wbfn’s cornerstone—its volunteers!

« «Organizational OperationsVolunteer LeadershipExecutive CommitteePresident: Annemarie Brink OlsenSecretary: Fiona OliphantNominating Chair: Sandipa Thapa BasnyatWelcoming Chair: Jennifer O’Riordan (July –November 2011); Florinda D’Eugenio (as ofDecember 2011)Amy Chamberlain (as of October 2011)Karen Clarke-StangeKarin MetzJohannes TonnAmber Van De GenachteInela WeeksHilary WelchMMMF Representative (non-voting): CharlotteJones CarrollBook Project Representative (non-voting):Zena SoudahAdvisor (non-voting): Gilda DadushThe New Leadership Model TeamSandipa Thapa BasnyatFiona OliphantJohannes TonnInela WeeksHilary WelchNominating CommitteeNominating Chair: Sandipa Thapa BasnyatPhilippe FutaMaaike le GrandFlorinda D’Eugenio (July – December2011)Annual Membership MeetingChair: Annemarie Brink OlsenExecutive Committee Alumni MeetingHost: Gilda DadushOffice ManagementAround the OfficeOffice Assistant: Mariela EberhardtMember Management System:Tania GnesdilovaProgramsWelcomingWelcoming Chair: Jennifer Riordan (July –November 2011); Florinda D’Eugenio (as ofDecember 2011)Buddy Coordinator: Karen ManzanillaSOP Facilitators: Sandipa Thapa Basnyat,Maaike le GrandEl Batoule AlaouiElizabeth ArdenRuth BullJose DinglasanMaaike le GrandGulya IshmuratovaDafina KelmendiSaadia LatifNoha Abedel Masih« «« «Samalie NambuuyaVilaykham PhomsouvanhTunc SamliLaura SmaldoneRachida El YadariMawussi ZevounouMarta ZontaCareer and VolunteeringEl Batoule AlaouiGulira AlievaAndre CarlettoMatt DongUk ChoFrancisco Gonzalez-CosFlorence KandoCarol KiernanElena KuznetsovaAnu MishraCecilia NeherTunc SamliJohannes TonnAmber Van De GenachteMeg WalkerInela WeeksHelle WillumsenCommunicationsMosaicEditors: Amy Chamberlain, Vidya RanganDesigners: Eva Calonder, Gilda Dadush,Louise FravalRuth BullDeepika ShresthaMeg WalkerElectronic MediaWebmaster: Gilda DadushWebsite Team:Eleni AshineMarie-Anne ChambonnierMatt Donguk ChoWilson MagayaMishi MirzaShalu NarianiCristina Elena OspinoRuby ShamaylehLouise ShimizuMeg WalkerMawussi ZevounouAlexis MassenetKnowledge Exchange Team:Alain CornetCecilia NeherPedro SaaGraphics TeamMiguel BarretoEva CalonderMargret KroyerMishi MashudahDuina ReyesPhoto TeamAlain CornetAnnemarie Brink OlsenIbrahim TurkRachida El YadariMarketing TeamFlorinda d’EugenioOlga Nazarko-JesusCecilia Neher« «

« «Pedro Saa40th Anniversary PublicationProject Managers: Juliet Namaganda, MishiMirza; Inela Weeks (as of September 2012)El Batoule AlaouiEileen Barrett-WhiteheadAnnemarie Brink OlsenAmy ChamberlainCarolina CorreaGilda DadushFaezeh ForoutanMaaike le GrandAisha KashifVarnita KohliAlva KretschmerMishi MirzaLouise ShimizuMembers AbroadCoordinators: Karin Metz; Aisha Kashif (asof March 2012)Linda KaufmanSilvia KirovaIsabelle MoullierLouise ShimizuSerena TommasinoSpouse Issues CommitteeFiona OliphantAnnemarie Brink OlsenHilary WelchTeen Summer ProgramKaren Clarke-StangeGuili ZhouRosmarijn SalesLuisa LopesInformation SeminarsCoordinator: Monika SergoHilary WelchSurviving Culture Shock WorkshopNancy LeBaronYvonne QuaheActivitiesSpecial EventsAnnual Potluck PicnicEl Batoule AlaouiGregg AngelesMarie Elisabeth AubryHenrietta BakarrFlorinda D’EugenioFlorence Kando FravelGiovanni FantasiaPhilippe FutaNoha Abedel MasihTope OlanrewajuAnnemarie Brink OlsenPierre RogyRuby ShamaylehAmber Van De GenachteRachida El YadariXaio Dong WuGuili Zhou« «« «Marta ZontaChildren’s Holiday PartyCoordinators: Johan Bohta, Amber Van DeGenachteEl Batoule AlaouiRuth BullMabel CabezasFlorinda D’EugenioArnaud DiguetMaddalena FarinaPhilippe FutaGulya IshmuratovaNicolas LegrainElizabeth LegrainMashudah MirzaAnuradha MishraRosario NavarroOlga NazarkoJoana PetaNing PoopechRuby ShamaylehDafina Kelmendi TahiriKalterine Shabani VremeziRachida El YadariGuili ZhouMarta ZontaAnnual DinnerSadeem Munirahmad AlkadiSandipa Thapa BasnyatGilda DadushFlorinda D’EugenioFiona OliphantOffice GatheringsAnnemarie Brink OlsenFlorinda D’EugenioMarta ZontaArt ExhibitsCoordinator: Na’ava FederExhibitors: Marie-Dominique Bondet de laBernardie, Susanne Kasielke, Mabel Cabezas,Pritthijit KunduCareer Networking Events & Happy HoursUmid BaratovChristina EspinosaCecila NeherTunc SamliJohannes TonnMaki YanagimotoFee-based ClassesEnglish ClassesTeachers: Sarah Brau, Carmela Cosans,Anuradha Mishra, Michele SchimetatBusiness EnglishTeacher: Frank SterrettComputer ClassesInstructor: Tania GnesdilovaFinancial Literacy CoursesCourse Designer and Facilitator: Cary ClarkOrganizer and Facilitator: Sally Macartney« «

« «Members-to-MembersLanguagesAdvanced English/Introduction to LiteratureTeacher: Helen MayburyIntermediate FrenchTeacher: Catherine GouarneAdvanced Spanish ConversationTeacher: Isabel MorenoBook GroupsAfrican Book GroupCoordinators: Debra Byam, Melitta Carte,Alison OrduAmerican Book GroupCoordinators: Michele Schimetat, CarmelaCosansEnglish Book GroupCoordinators: Barbara Cackler, Myra Jacobs,Sabine TourreillesFrench Book GroupCoordinators: Dalila Benchenhou, Phi Fostvedt,Lenore OblitasGerman Book GroupCoordinators: Ursula Revuelta, Sigrid BlobelParents and Tots GroupsDowntown BabiesCoordinators: Aminata Bojang, NadineKurger, Nicky Lumb, Christine MouginMD Parents and TotsCoordinators: Veronica Montfort, MonicaNermark, Adriana FerreiraVA Parents and TotsCoordinator: Louise TouberDuplicate BridgeMarlene BolzeLaila NelsonKathryn O’BrienBeer ClubJohannes TonnInternational CuisineCoordinator: Catherine LabasteHosts:Maria AlcaverSirpa EerikainenMireille LapeyreMartina LuzuriagaBrinda Dayal-PrakashMadina SeydiInternational Cultural GroupCoordinators: Vim Maguire, Shirley Scheyer,Pat Streifel« «« «Investment ClubPast President & Auditor: Brinda Dayal-PrakashVice President, President: Karen CannonTreasurer: Patricia CaicedoAssistant Treasurer: Felicia Taylor-LewisSecretary: Lois KhairallahAssistant Secretary: Vanita VenugopalParliamentarian & Auditor: Sally MacartneyAssistant Parliamentarian: Sonja KhunArchivist: Tessa RavryMah Jong GroupCoordinators: Barbara Barbu, Alison OrduWBFN OutreachBook ProjectPresident: Zena SoudahDonation Coordinator: Pushpa PherwaniPacking Room Coordinators: Laura Byerlee,Suniti Bhand, Tessa RavrySecretary: Tessa RavryShipping Coordinator: Doina OlievschiTreasurer: Vilaykham PhomsouvanhElleni AshineMarie ForgetSofia KanekoHenry KeraliAntje Liese-MuentingaWilson MagayaAggie NuvalNargis RahmanShubi ReleMMMFMMMF OfficersPresident: Charlotte Jones-CarrollVice-President: Sarah BrauTreasurer: Jayati Datta-MitraSecretary: Kris MartinMMMF DirectorsNadereh ChamlouJoanne GarrityAndrea Gianoviades AnayiotosDominique LallementKathleen McNamaraSuman MehraTalaat MoreauElna van GreuningMonica VidilliHilary WelchAndreeWynkoopMMMF Selection Committee & Panel, AfricaChair: Debra ByamCo-Chair: Melanie JayaMaria AlcoverMehrunnisa BashirTembi ChikosiCorrie de Blocq van ScheltingaMadeleine de KockKhetsime DlaminiCecile FerriPeta HellmannPatrick KabuyaNalinie KouameFrancine Last« «

« «Elizabeth Medina TataPhindile NgwenyaBinny SakerSelene Sopelana LoyoElize vander LindeJudy WolfMMMF Selection Committee & Panel, US/CanadaChair: Madeleine de KockCo-Chair: Reiko NiimiMaria AlcoverBetsy AlleyClaudia AlvarezGlaucia FernandesGabrielle Herderschee-HunterLori JacobsonAda La ForgiaSamalie NambuuyaDorine OtienoJacqueline RiveroSwati SrivastavaJudy WolfJuan ZhangMarcia YuAlex WellsteedToyin AdenijiAna Maria OviedoIsabel ChattertonMMMF Selection Committee & Advisors,Latin AmericaChair: Maria AlcoverCo-Chair: Miozotis FlorezPatricia AcostaFatima AndradaVivian Avalos de FamiliarCharlotte Jones- CarrollDominque LallementLedda MaceraRosario Navarro SanchezYolanda QuinteroElizabeth SolorzanoElna van GreuningAna Zuniga-AguileraMMMF FriendsChair: Nadereh ChamlouFinancial Secretary: Christine StoverMMMF FairCo-Chairs: Georgine Ahmad, Caroline Berney,Kris MartinMMMF AdvisorsGeorgine AhmadCaroline BerneyGilda DadushJean-Louis SarbibHada ZaidanMMMF Honorary MembersCharlotte ConableSukriye KaraosmanogluPatsy PrestonCarla ScearceRuby WingateHanna WoickeElaine Wolfensohn« «« «Honorary AdvisorsSigrid BiobelLois KhairallahPriscilla LinnHarriet BaldwinInvestment Advisor: Ozgur Karaosmanoglu(Raymond James and Associates)Legal Advisor: Barbara Kirschten (WilmerHale)MMMF International Arts and Crafts FairMaria AlcoverBetsy AlleyClaudia AlvarezBusharah AzharBarbara BarbuPooja BhatiaSigrid BlobelDebra ByamElide CabelloLauretta ConsenzaMadeleine de KockFlorinda D’EugenioGlaucia FernandesMiren FernandezAna JubizYvonne KendallLiliane KewLois KhairallahCatherine LabasteVim MaguireSakin MohammedSamalie NambuuyaRosario NavarroDorine OtienoMari ParkerCristina PerezNing PoopechLouise ShimizuMei SiekJette SkadhaugeSwati SrivastavaChristine StoverZane StuggingsEla Tomris IlkgelenKhady ToureElna van GreuningHilary WelchAndree WynkoopYoko Yamamoto & Japanese SpouseGroupBarbara YurivlikerHada ZaidanMawussi ZavanouAparna Zaveri...and other volunteersOffice Volunteers and InternsLisa SchimetatLing Yan ChenGisele HappiEmmanuel AhimbisibweClarisse JuliaHistory ProjectBusharah AzharBarbara CatherwoodGilda Dadush« «

« «Viola GnocchiDharana NepalLouise ShimizuDeepika ShresthaAna Maria ZunigaMonica VidiliWBFN Annual ReportEditor: Amy ChamberlainAssistant Editor: Christinne SecrestDesigner: Gilda Dadush« «

The FY12 WBFN Annual Dinnerwww.wbfn.orgfamilynetwork@wbfn.org