New regional reps eager to serve NRPA members – NRPA in Action
Working from NRPA’s headquarters in Ashburn. Va., four new, customer-service representatives are focusing on connecting NRPA’s geographic regions to meet the needs of members.
“By closing the offices and refocusing, I think what members are going to see is a much more professional product.” says Holly Doerflinger, who joined NRPA in September and is in charge of the Southeast Region.
Sherry Romello, who joined NRPA in August, oversees the regions as the director of education and conferences. Romello has more than 13 years of experience working for nonprofit organizations. Her career has taken her from the American Waterways Operators to the National Apartment Association. She has overseen major conferences with thousands of attendees as well as created, planned and implemented educational and promotional materials for members.
One of the challenges Romello foresees at NRPA is staying ahead of trends in the field in the face of budget cuts. Romello wants to look at cost-saving measures to deliver information to members, such as Web-based educational seminars.
Diane Bombard joined NRPA in September, and is in charge of the Northeast, Pacific Southwest, Pacific Northwest and Mid-Atlantic regions. Bombard wants to reach out to individual members and assess their needs and concerns so that she can better plan meetings, programs and future agendas. Some of the areas she is hoping to focus on include the Pacific Southwest Maintenance Management School, National Leadership Development School and the New England Training Institute & Exposition. Bombard comes to NRPA with 16 years of association experience, dealing mainly with members on an individual and group basis.
“I want to have a more close relationship with members.” Bombard says. “Just letting them know that I’m here and available.”
Jessica Pagonis, who joined NRPA last month, is in charge of the Great Lakes, Midwest and Southwest regions. Pagonis was recently at the Optical Society of America, where she managed meetings and conferences for five years.
Romello hopes that the move toward centralizing the regions at NRPA headquarters will allow each representative to bring forth her different ideas and challenges from her regions to one arena, thereby opening the way toward the exchange of ideas.
“We will be able to take those ideas, and build up the entire picture and not just focus on each region,” Romello says. “More to level the playing field and give everyone the highest quality.”
NRPA’s Regional Representatives
Sherry Romello
Phone: 703-858-2174
E-mail: sromello@nrpa.org
Diane Bombard
Phone: 703-858-2187
E-mail: dbombard@nrpa.org
Holly Doerflinger
Phone: 703-858-2172
E-mail: hdoerflinger@nrpa.org
Jessica Pagonis
Phone: 703-858-2154
E-mail: jpagonis@nrpa.org
General fax: 703-858-0794
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