Projects

Meet the Project Coordinator: Maureen Blackwell

The Timber Framers Guild has a nearly 20-year tradition of providing high-quality projects and workshops that involve hundreds of volunteers and educate countless people about timber framing. It is an honor to join this fine tradition and use my skills in project management and communication to strengthen project and workshop processes.

As the projects coordinator, I will provide overall project- workshop coordination, in support of Joel McCarty, co-executive director–projects, by improving communication; streamlining recurring tasks; monitoring the project budget, scope, and schedule; and working closely with each project manager to ensure method statements, checklists, participant confirmation packages, and project manuals are complete. I will also ensure that projects get early and frequent publicity in Scantlings.

My first order of business will be to get to know the project team, which consists of the projects committee and project managers, and get their suggestions on changes to current processes. With that as a background, my next activity will be to survey past partner organization contacts, project managers, and project-workshop participants to get their input on the project process. Our goal in collecting such data is to ensure that any changes we implement improve the overall service to our partners.

On a personal note, I retired (or “graduated,” as my brother said) from IBM last February and have started my own coaching and consulting business. I make my home in beautiful Rappahannock County, Virginia, with my husband, David (the TFG conference coordinator), our seven-year-old Bernese Mountain dog, Scooter, and our cat, Smokey.

I’m on the board of our local conservation organization and will help them organize our second alternative energy expo this June. I am also involved in our county’s mentoring program for school age children. I love walking, hiking, reading, growing Asian greens, and spending time with our daughter, Rainey, and her husband, Josh, who live in nearby Charlottesville, Virginia.

I look forward to speaking with many of you and getting your feedback on Guild events as well as learning from you over the coming months. If there is something you’d like to pass along right now, please email your input to me.