A farewell letter from Ellen Starr: a transition is ahead!

Hello friends and supporters,

Amazingly the time has come for me to step away from the working world and head into the land of retirement. I am one of those people who can’t fathom not working, and I suspect it will take a while to completely extract myself from GfH, but I am very excited for what comes next.

Ellen with Clinical Consultant, Susan Hollinger, and volunteers, Janet Perkins-Howland and Ricci Silberman, in Tanzania in 2011.

I must say, it would be easier to leave if I worked in an organization that I didn’t believe in so deeply, or with a staff I didn’t love.

Grounds for Health has come far and has succeeded every step of the way, and in every country where we have worked, in providing women and their communities with respectful, supportive and high-quality education and clinical care. It hasn’t just been about keeping women healthy and saving lives. It has been about giving women an opportunity to focus on themselves and value their own health. I have committed myself to these values my entire professional career and it is a true joy to end it with a 13-year journey at Grounds for Health.

Ellen in 2011 with Annah Kichambati, our Tanzanian program manager, after completing a screening and treatment campaign in Kigoma, Tanzania.

Ellen sitting with a mother waiting for screening at a campaign in Ethiopia in 2019.

I recently returned from the field for what will likely be my last visit with our Ethiopia and Kenya teams. I will thankfully be keeping my connection with them for a bit longer as a clinical advisor, so it didn’t feel like a forever goodbye, but I was saying goodbye as the leader of the organization they are so committed to. After many years in a variety of management positions, I have developed my own style of leadership. I couldn’t have been happier when staff members described my approach exactly as I had intended and hoped for while sharing their appreciation. What else could anyone ask for upon retiring!

Ellen, her husband Geoff, and the entire clinical team during her last trip as ED in October 2023.

The best news of all however, is that my shoes will be filled with an equally committed woman whom I have known for many of my years at Grounds for Health, and who impresses me every day. Kyle Engelman started her time at GfH as our Program Director and has most recently filled the role of Director of Philanthropy. She is sharp, creative and kind and I have great faith in her ability to shepherd us into our next phase. It is time to pass the torch and she is the perfect person for the job.

Ellen and Kyle Engelman, our new Executive Director, celebrating GfH’s 25th Anniversary Celebration in 2022.

One more time – thank you from the bottom of my heart for believing steadfastly in Grounds for Health, our staff and the women we serve. You are the best!

Ellen