A Letter from the President 
Charting a New Course: Updates from the BC TEAL Board Retreat
By Jennifer Cummins

Dear BC TEAL Members,

I’m excited to share highlights from our recent board retreat, where we gathered with renewed energy and a shared commitment to shaping the future of our organization. With half of our board newly elected, this retreat marked a pivotal moment of transition and transformation. Together, we embraced a new organizational structure and set ambitious priorities to better serve our members and the broader EAL community. We worked on renewing our mission, vision, and values which will be published on our website in the fall, and we outlined strategic priorities to meet the needs of our members. Below is a summary of our discussions at the 2025 Board Retreat. 

1. Advocacy and Stakeholder Engagement
We are refocusing our efforts on advocacy under the leadership of Shirene Salamatian and Bita Rezaei. Their work will ensure that the voices of EAL educators are heard by decision-makers. Our goals include increasing visibility with government bodies and responding swiftly to emerging issues. Success will be measured by our participation in interprovincial and national advocacy meetings and our ability to represent the interests of our members. 
Mossy Badri is filling a new role on the board as the Chair of Business Development with the goal of building strategic relationships with sponsors and stakeholders to strengthen our influence and sustainability. Dorsa Alami and Tahereh Jalali are co-chairing the membership committee, supported by Nikki Kasravi, to revitalize our membership engagement efforts. Through the work of these board members, we hope to engage with diverse community members and partners to strengthen our organization. 

2.  Reinvestment in Community and Connection
We are committed to fostering a vibrant, connected community. After a very successful 2025 annual conference, Matthew Levan continues as Conference Chair to lead us in planning and hosting our 2026 conference. Marcela Cintra is joining the BC TEAL board as PD Chair with many years of experience in national teacher associations to lead our professional development initiatives. Gordon Moulden has remained as a Member-at-large to continue to support professional development and help with the transition of roles. Our objectives in this area include hosting financially sustainable events, increasing participation, and offering diverse formats—from in-person to hybrid—to meet the needs of our members. Social elements will be integrated to boost morale and resilience, and satisfaction surveys will help us measure our impact.

3. Fiscal Responsibility and Financial Sustainability
Gregory Moskos continues as Treasurer of the board and Crystal Kee continues as our Administrative Assistant. Both continue to guide our financial strategy to ensure long-term stability. All operations and costs are being evaluated through the lens of fiscal responsibility, with a focus on reinvesting in programs that directly benefit our members. Our focus over the next year is to see a more balanced budget so that our organization can continue to offer support and services to our members. 

4. Modernizing Communications
Leila Ghodrat Jahromi is enhancing our social media presence, while Andrea Szilagyi is transforming our newsletter into a more engaging and accessible format. Our communications team is working to amplify members’ voices, increase multimedia engagement, and track analytics to guide our outreach. We are also seeking a Website Chair to help modernize our digital presence, which will enhance our ability to engage with our stakeholders. 

Looking Ahead
This year’s strategic direction is fluid and responsive, grounded in the strengths and passions of our board members, while committing to increased transparency in our operations and decision-making processes.

Thank you for your continued support. We look forward to growing, advocating, and celebrating with you in the year ahead.

Warm regards,

Jennifer Cummins
President, BC TEAL Board