When 2009 Section Chair Monica Mallini asked me to serve as the Northern Virginia Section family liaison services coordinator, I was not sure what she had in mind.  After a few Section meetings, it became clear that she wanted someone to help coordinate the membership outreach, to assist with running a few activities during the year, and to serve as a point of contact for volunteers to these events.

In other words, someone to help coordinate the family volunteers who want to enjoy the experience of participating in IEEE events, and to show the members' families that they are included in the Northern Virginia Section's outreach and can be part of our greater body of active participants.

Why not?

Every year the section has a number of events suitable for family participation, such as picnics, cookouts, luncheons, tours, the awards banquet, and yes, school outreach such as science fairs, competitions and special Engineers Week programs that recognize our students who are interested in science and engineering.

I would like you to ask your family's volunteer to contact me at with a message about how he or she would like to participate with the Northern Virginia Section. I will coordinate the volunteers' responses for upcoming events.