To introduce women to one of the benefits of Story Circle Network, we've made this article from the March 2026 issue of the Journal available to the public for a limited time. Enjoy!
Editing Ourselves into the Future
by Susan Schoch, SCN President
Back in October 2025, a small group of SCN women got together online to discuss the procedure used to transition new members onto the SCN Board of Directors. We realized that our process was lacking and sometimes confusing. New board members had unanswered questions and found it challenging to understand their role and to become an active participant. It was time to clarify and improve what we were doing.
By CoWomen; Courtesy Unsplash
But it wasn’t that simple. A bit of research and discussion quickly made clear that what was actually needed was a dedicated review of the legacy documents we were still legally bound by. Our Bylaws and Policies & Procedures Manual had not been revised for a decade, and even that 2015 review didn’t include all the parts and pieces of the current Story Circle Network. Some bylaws no longer made sense; some were outdated. And we had new programs and processes to address. Much has changed in the twenty-nine years since SCN’s founding in 1997. How could we address those changes and yet maintain the organization’s character, values, purpose, and community?
As a result, the group asked for and received the board’s approval to create an ad hoc committee to review our current Bylaws and P&P Manual and to suggest strategies for improvement. This Governance Workgroup is energetically led by Tina Games, who works for the Massachusetts Commission on the Status of Women as the Regional Commissions Director, as well as serving on our board and as our Social Media Coordinator. Other members of the workgroup include Jeanne Guy (past President and current Membership Specialist), Teresa Lynn (Administrator), Liz Beaty (Program Director), Len Leatherwood (past President and current Education Coordinator), and me. What a necessary and gratifying journey we are on.
The group is working through the documents and learning as we go. When that is completed, we will make recommendations to the board about needed changes. Thus far, we have updated our Mission Statement (as you can see at the front of this issue) to be more broadly inclusive and to clarify our purpose. That change was approved by the SCN Board of Directors in January.
In April, we presented the board with our suggestions for updated bylaws. Based on their feedback, we are making further revisions and developing a plan for implementation. We expect to complete this process in 2026 with a vote by the board. We are beginning a similar process with the Policies & Procedures Manual. We are organized as a nonprofit, incorporated in the State of Texas, and are ensuring we meet all the Texas regulations. We have also been researching the structure of other successful boards and nonprofits.
Rest assured we will continue to communicate with you via the quarterly Journal, the monthly Flash newsletter, and by email. SCN will continue to provide the familiar community and resources that you count on as we keep growing our efforts to support all women who want to write their stories.
If you enjoyed this article, please share with a friend!
SCN's quarterly Journal is chock full of excellent writing and resources to inspire women and help us hone our writing craft. Members have access to our entire archive of Journals—over 25 years' worth!—and many other benefits.
Click here to join us today!
