CEO Council Student, Faculty, and Staff Delegations

The following statements define the purpose of the CEO Council Delegations:

• Assure that the activities of the CEO Council Delegations are consistent with Tai Sophia Institute’s mission, vision, and values.
• Model the institutional values.
• Assure the primary goal of the Institute is to provide an “exceptional student experience” for each and every enrollee.
• Strengthen communications among and within our community.
• Align closely with best practices for higher education governance as described by the Middle States Commission for Higher Education (MSCHE), Accreditation Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (ACAOM), and Maryland Higher Education Commission (MHEC).
• Ensure that decisions made by the executive management team are informed by input from delegates and, by extension, the constituents they each represent.
• Ensure deeper connections and stronger mutual support networks.
• Support the evolution and growth of Tai Sophia Institute as it strives to achieve best practices and implement its Strategic University Plan.

CEO Council

Frank Vitale, Co-Chair of the CEO Council
Barbara Ellrich, Co-Chair of the CEO Council
Derrick Jackson, Chair of the Student Delegation
Kaiya Larson, Chair of the Faculty Delegation
Stuart Rhodes, Chair of the Staff Delegation

Tai Sophia Institute Executive Management Committee

Frank Vitale, President and CEO
Dr. Judi Broida, Executive Vice President and Provost
Marc Levin, Vice President for Business and Financial Services
Louise Gussin, Vice President for Administration and General Counsel
Gail Doerr, Vice President for Marketing and Communications
Jeff Millison, Director for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine
James Snow, Acting Director for Biosciences
Cheryl Walker, Director for Transformative Leadership and Social Change, and Health and Wellness Coaching
Rebecca Snow, Director for Nutrition and Integrative Health
Director for Herbal Programs, TBA

Tai Sophia Institute Values

Tai Sophia Institute faculty, students, and staff have developed the following statement of values, approved by the Board of Trustees, to guide our work:

• Operate from an acknowledgment and declaration of Oneness.
• Use nature and the rhythms of the earth as a guide in teaching our students and one another.
• Foster and teach the deep sensory skills that allow us to observe ourselves and others.
• Recognize that healing occurs in relationship and is more than the implementation of a treatment technique.
• Continue our learning in the presence of one another, acting not as truth-tellers but as guides for mutual self-discovery.
• Honor the individual gifts of each member of our community and hold one another in the highest possible regard.
• Honor the diversity of all healing and philosophical traditions and build upon the common foundation that joins them at the deepest level.
• Cultivate the next generation of teachers and leaders within the community to serve the mission and ongoing life of the institution.
• Make all judgments and decisions in the context and light of the seven (past three, future three, and present) generations.
• Ground all of our actions in honesty and integrity.
• Cultivate the ability to observe ourselves and our intentions to enable us to take responsibility for our learning, actions, and well-being.
• Be coachable: able to give, receive, and effectively respond to feedback.
• Take the time to listen deeply to one another–making sure we hear one another and are being heard.
• Consciously and courageously use our words, presence, and touch as instruments of healing with deep respect, thoughtfulness, and compassion.
• Hold healing in partnership with illness and death. Embrace all aspects of life as part of healing and health.
• Acknowledge and engage in self-reflection and transformative practice as keys to healing and healing presence.
• Recognize that there is no Tai Sophia independent of the individuals who make up the Institute.

Acknowledging the Service of Our Board of Trustees

As we make our way through the rigors of our daily work, or life in general, we need to keep in mind those who graciously partner with us on a voluntary basis and commit extraordinary time and wisdom to Tai Sophia Institute. We are speaking of our Board of Trustees who carry out their fiduciary responsibilities for this 501c(3) public benefit organization with pride and integrity. They have as their primary interest the students of Tai Sophia Institute, as well as the entire community.

At present, our Board of Trustees consists of ten volunteer board members who serve with the Institute’s President and CEO (who serves ex-officio). Each trustee brings specialized and valuable experience to Tai Sophia, as well as a sincere commitment to our mission, vision, and values.

Recently, four members of our board stepped down. Each had contributed substantially to the organization’s development. Bob Duggan, co-founder and president emeritus, and Dianne Connelly, co-founder and chancellor emeritus, have dedicated a very large part of their lives to the creation and nurturing of Tai Sophia. They left the board as part of a transition plan put into effect several years ago by the board and the founders. Bob and Dianne continue to be closely involved with the Institute as faculty, as teachers of Redefining Health, and as mentors. They also continue as practitioners in a new family practice, and continue to write and advocate for the generations to come.

In addition, Joanne Frederick and Cornelis (Cees) Wortel, M.D., both had their three-year terms expire in January 2012. Joanne is a graduate of Tai Sophia’s Applied Healing Arts program (now Transformative Leadership and Social Change) and has been a major supporter of the Institute in a variety of business and philanthropic ways. The same can be said for Cees Wortel, whose unique background and interest in complimentary medicine was of great value to the board. We are deeply grateful to Bob, Dianne, Joanne, and Cees for their tireless commitment and many, many contributions to Tai Sophia. We are equally thankful to those who continue to serve as trustees and to those who have recently joined the board. We pay tribute to all!