After leading Center on Halsted ( COH ) through its successful campaign to build Chicago's first LGBT community center, Robbin Burr will step down from her post as executive director on July 1. Her departure will follow the grand opening of the new facility at 3656 N. Halsted in June.
'I'm extraordinarily pleased that we've had tremendous success with our fundraising campaign, construction is on schedule and our programs are expanding. I've met the goals and objectives I set out to accomplish for this phase of COH's growth and I'm looking forward to unfolding the next chapter in my career,' Burr said in a statement.
Also according to the statement, Burr and COH's board of directors concur that 'the timing is right for this newest transition in the Center's development.'
'Robbin's leadership was key to making Center on Halsted a reality,' said Robert Kohl, COH board chair. 'As the Center plans for its next phase of programmatic growth, it makes sense for Robbin and the board to plan for an evolving leadership, too.'
In a conversation with Windy City Times, Burr confirmed what was issued in the statement. 'This is actually a well-thought-out and good business decision, both for the Center and me,' she said. When asked if this was the original plan, she said that 'I won't call it the original plan, but when I came to the Center the hiring committee and I knew that I had a very specific skill set that lent itself very well to that phase of the organization's phase of fundraising and community-building. I don't think any of us had any doubt that there would be a life span for those kinds of things to be necessary and relevant for the organization; I'm proud that we accomplished the goals we set out to [ reach ] . It's my Center, too, so I want to do what's best for it. The next phase in keeping us on the right trajectory requires a leader who is very strong in program development. ... I very much agree ( and have been a part of deciding ) that it's what we need to do next.'
Burr, who has been the executive director since 2004, will continue in her role through June 30 as she helps to implement plans for the Center's opening and ease the transition to the next phase. She also plans to lead the planning for the next WOW Gala, a social and fundraising event for women that Burr started last December. Burr also will 'continue on in my national post ( as co-chair of the board of the National Association of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Community Centers ) , and there I'll get to touch what goes on in ... centers across the country,' she told Windy City Times. As for her next professional step, she said that she's 'looking at that. Of course, I came out of corporate America [ at American Airlines ] and could go back to it. I could do some more LGBT marketing work, but this has taught me that a whole new career change can be had. Obviously, I'm not going to sit still and wait for things to come my way, but I also will explore what opportunities happen to come my way that I can't possibly imagine.'
COH's board of directors is meeting to determine who will fill Burr's position. Burr told Windy City Times that she does not know if the next executive director will be from inside or outside the organization.
