NOLS Board Meeting, Day 2

I am writing from Los Angeles Airport as I make my way back to Lan
Diego. Yesterday was a good one. We got up and were transported by
C&C Transportation, a local company that transports NOLS Mexico
students, to NOLS Mexico about an hour and a half north of Loreto.
After a brief tour of the facility by David Lee, NOLS Mexico director
and his staff, the board meeting continued.

The topics for this session included the finance report and diversity
at NOLS. Molly Hampton and board member Flip Hagood reported on
progress that has been made to further diversify NOLS staff and student
body. They also laid some groundwork for furthering this effort. There
was a good deal of concern expressed with Molly leaving to join The
Nature Conservancy. As NOLS refills Molly’s position we will need to be
sure that we don’t lose ground on this strategic initiative.

After these discussions the board went into executive session and it
was time for some staff to play. NOLS instructor, Dave Schimelpfenig
took a bunch of us out sailing for a few hours. It was great. I had
never been on a Drascombe longboat before. Very fun.

The evening activities started at 4:30 with a mariachi band on the
patio. From there NOLS Mexico staff treated us to a “Pub Crawl”—with
three “teams” traveling from staff home to staff home visiting and…
well, you know. Then it was back to the patio for roast pig and all the
fixin’s.

Now the staff from Lander are heading home and the board should be on
the water sailing, sea kayaking and learning more about ocean-based
operations.

Gracias to everyone at NOLS Mexico for your hard work and hospitality. Enjoy the rest of the season at Coyote Bay!

Bruce Palmer, NOLS marketing director