Gena Atcher, our Administrative Coordinator, has served a crucial role at Circles USA for over 16 years. Since 2006, she has managed general inquiries, materials distribution, contract negotiations, accounting, and events. In addition to fully supporting our national staff, Gena connects our chapters to resources, best practices, and each other to encourage our thriving network. We’re pleased to share this behind-the-scenes glimpse at one of our key staff members and to appreciate the powerhouse that Gena is for our Circles community!
What does your CUSA role involve?
I am the first point of contact for new inquiries for Circles. I connect chapter staff to CUSA resources. I manage contracts and invoices, pay our bills, track Human Resources, and ensure compliance for our donor site and with the states of Iowa and New Mexico. I also draft and support the CUSA network newsletters—you might know them as “New and Good” and “Big View”—and I manage the annual CPA audit. Oh, and I reply to a lot of emails. Ha!
What brought you to CUSA?
I applied for a part time office position in March of 2006. I wanted a role that fit the needs of my family because my son was in kindergarten. Scott Miller and Michelle Clark knew they needed some office support, so we’ve crafted my job description together over the past 16 years.
How has CUSA changed your life, your thinking about poverty, and/or your relationships with others?
Circles has given me courage. And it’s driven me to be more fiscally responsible, too. I am more empathetic towards people’s life situations.
What is your favorite part of your job?
I enjoy meeting with the chapters on a regular basis, hearing their success stories. I love to learn about new communities and how they can implement circles. I love coming to work daily because our team is very cohesive. We support each other and really care about one another.
Contact Administrative Coordinator Gena Atcher at (505) 225-7991 or Gena@CirclesUSA.org.