While I realize that the world is calling out for exactly zero more email newsletters, the necessity of reaching clients, colleagues, partners, friends, and acquaintances leaves me no other choice. So you are among the select few who are receiving the inaugural, pilot version of the Thomas Newsletter, which will provide somewhere between weekly and biannual updates about projects we're working on, publications and writing that I'm doing, and other articles and resources of interest. Each edition will be relatively brief, will include compelling content, and will highlight resources and work of partners and other leading voices. And sometimes there will be funny stories about my dogs.
Consider this a preview:
In partnership with the Center for Evaluation Innovation, we're up and running on a project with The Atlantic Philanthropies, to capture and synthesize key lessons from their advocacy efforts in the U.S. Stay tuned next month for further announcements about this exciting work. In the meantime, you can read about Atlantic's origins and the unique story of its founder here.
Last fall, prior to leaving The Colorado Trust, I had the opportunity to write an essay for the National Civic Review about emerging lessons learned from a new approach to advocacy funding. That article appears in the most recent edition of the journal, which can be seen here.
After several years, I recently concluded my service on the Summer Scholars board of directors. It's a terrific organization that does a tremendous amount of good for young students in need. It was a bittersweet (and term-limited) departure, from which I will draw many important lessons that you can read about here.
The sudden death of David Carr ripped through the ranks of writers and journalists in profound ways. One of my favorite writers and thinkers, Ta-Nehisi Coates, penned a moving tribute to Carr, which prompted me to write this essay on mentorship and gratitude.
Lastly, this past weekend marked one of my favorite times of year, which is the almost annual ski trip with a group of friends that we've been doing for over a decade. We hit the mountain hard, and try desperately to outlast our own aging, physical limits. We play cards and tell tall, 20-year-old tails of past misadventures. And we laugh harder than almost any other days of the year. It's the kind of trip that makes you grateful for old friends who are hard to shake. And makes you appreciate living some place where you get views like this.
