Lessons for new directors from acclaimed board member at Public Health Management Corporation
For Margie Austin, fighting for the rights of special needs children is more than a full-time job—it’s her passion. When her son Isaiah was born with Down syndrome 17 years ago, Austin began her journey as an advocate for special needs children—a path that led to her present position as a member of the board of directors of Alliance for Children and Families member Public Health Management Corporation (PHMC), Philadelphia.
As a PHMC board member, Austin serves as designee for special needs families (learn more about PHMC’s board designees). “I speak about our clients’ challenges when trying to receive services and supports they need in order to have a normal, everyday life,” she says. “I also offer suggestions on creating and improving existing programs and put forward ideas on promoting inclusive communities."
Austin provided valuable input about clients with special needs when PHMC received a $38 million contract from the city of Philadelphia in 2008. The contract afforded PHMC the opportunity to manage the city’s Out-of-School Time initiative, which provides after-school and summer services to more than 20,000 Philadelphia schoolchildren and their families. “I gave firsthand experience on some of the problems families of special needs children face,” Austin says.
Throughout her tenure as a PHMC board member, Austin has provided insight for a variety of PHMC programs, including PersonLink and ChildLink, which provide case management to adults and children with developmental delays and disabilities.
Being a Voice in Her Community
Austin’s work among special needs families like her own comes from a sense of responsibility toward her community. “In order to be an effective board member, you have to be committed,” Austin says. “One needs to learn board policy and procedures; and personally, I find it important to have my finger on the pulse of public health in the southeastern Pennsylvania region, state, and nation.”
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| Margie Austin with her family: daughter Christin, 22, son Isaiah, 17, grandson Jaylin, 6, and dog Cici. (Photo by Brenda Tingstrom) |
Austin is a graduate of Temple University Institute on Disabilities, a leadership and advocacy training program for families of people with special needs. She regularly visits legislators to discuss policy issues that influence the lives of her son and others like him.
“I have found Margie Austin to be a committed, active, and energetic member of the Philadelphia community,” says Dwight Evans, a member of Pennsylvania’s House of Representatives. “She has visited me on many occasions, at the state capital and my local office in Philadelphia, to discuss issues that affect people with disabilities.”
Identifying and Fulfilling Client Needs
While raising her son Isaiah, Austin became an invaluable resource to parents in similar situations. Prior to joining the PHMC board, she worked with the Philadelphia Developmental Disability Corporation, a service provider for people ages 18 and older who have special needs or age-related frailties, and The Arc of Philadelphia, a nonprofit advocacy organization that provides training, information, and referral support. Through these experiences, Austin has reached hundreds of families, policymakers, and elected officials.
Her dedication attracted the attention of PHMC President and CEO Richard J. Cohen. “Margie brings great passion to her job as an advocate,” Cohen says. “No barrier is too large for her. We’re thrilled to have someone with Margie’s experience on our board.”
In 2007, Austin founded her own nonprofit organization, called Change Agent for Inclusive Program (CAIP), which offers resources to families of special needs children. “As a single parent raising a child with special needs, I had to learn how to navigate through multiple systems, educate myself on public policies, and try to find services and supports to help my family,” says Austin. “I wanted to help others like me.”
Through CAIP, Austin addresses programmatic challenges while providing training and technical assistance that program directors can implement into existing community programs.
As a CAIP initiative, Austin is working on a needs assessment report that identifies, through qualitative and quantitative data, the extent to which—and reasons why—school-age children with special needs experience inclusion or exclusion. Results from the needs assessment, which includes data collected from PHMC programs that work with special needs children, focus groups, and other resources, will help lay the foundation for a strategic plan that outlines supports needed to increase the accessibility of community programs to children with special needs.
Learning from Fellow Board Members
Currently in her third year as a PHMC board member, Austin advises newcomers to “sit as close to senior board members as possible.” She cites her experience networking with fellow board members as key to her success in implementing board initiatives.
To be a successful board member, one must possess confidence, Austin says. “No question is a dumb question,” she adds. “As a representative of your community, it’s your duty to speak up.”
Austin also suggests new board members read Robert’s Rules of Order, a helpful how-to book to acquaint oneself with boardroom procedures.
“Becoming an effective board member takes time,” she says. “Take the time to familiarize yourself with the organization you wish to represent. Trust me, it’s worth it—you have the unique opportunity to help your community in a very real and meaningful way.”
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Kishwer Vikaas is a copywriter at Public Health Management Corporation, an Alliance member in Philadelphia. She’s a graduate of Temple University and holds a bachelor’s degree in English. |
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