Dear Supporters,

I have always trusted my North Star to guide my life, point me in the right direction, and inform me when cycles are complete. After 43 years of service as Executive Director of Center for Domestic Peace, I have reached a point that I can only think of as the “joy of completion” in my work with C4DP, and thus I will be stepping down as Executive Director effective February 1, 2024.

From the first day I joined C4DP, known then as Marin Abused Women’s Services, I was inspired by the far-reaching vision set forth in its commitment to catalyze and contribute to the community effort to end domestic violence. Over my 43-year history, I have had the honor to help develop, grow, and expand that vision at C4DP and as part of an ever-expanding international movement to end gender-based violence. My heart is filled with appreciation and gratitude for the incredible experience I have had serving on behalf of this beautiful, powerful, and enduring organization and this movement for social justice and liberation.

Center for Domestic Peace is vibrant and strong! We have an outstanding board, talented and committed staff, dedicated community supporters, committed donors, a strong balance sheet, and a strategic plan we are all passionately pursuing. Now is the time for us to welcome and embrace a new leader who can build upon all we have done and steward us into our future.

As for what happens next, working closely with C4DP’s Board of Directors and an experienced transition coach, we have developed a thoughtful and detailed plan for managing this transition over the coming 8 months. The board has assembled a Search Team that will hire and work with a search firm to assist the board with the selection of the next executive director.

Additionally, the board has created a Transition Task Force comprised of board members, C4DP’s Deputy Executive Director, and other staff to ensure that the transition process from now through the on-boarding of a new leader is thoughtfully carried out, supports our new leader as they begin their journey, helps advance inclusion, and maximizes the positive impact that we believe this transition can bring for our staff, stakeholders, and service users.

This team will be led by our Board Chair, Cynthia Murray. A message from Cynthia is below.

“We are so grateful for Donna and her dedication these past 43 years to Center for Domestic Peace and the international movement to end gender-based violence. We are proud and honored to support her during this important milestone in her life. We deeply appreciate the gift of time and advance notice Donna has given us. We know she has thought long and hard about this decision and is approaching this change with a great deal of intention and care, and so is C4DP’s Board of Directors.

We are committed to ensuring all of us at Center for Domestic Peace, our staff, volunteers, service users, donors, and community members remain confident that this transition will result in C4DP continuing as a strong, well-managed, effective organization. We look forward to continuing to partner closely with Donna and supporting her leadership as we search for her successor.

Thank you for your ongoing support for our important work. We look forward with great excitement for all that is to come.”

After my departure as Executive Director in February of 2024, I plan to spend time decompressing, reflecting, and discovering what brings me joy and purpose in the next phase of my life. I know I am not done with getting into the kind of “good trouble” needed to create a more just and equitable world. I will forever stay dedicated to being of service and to the cause of ending gender-based violence that has been a large part of my life’s work. Until then, I will spend my remaining time at C4DP steadfast in ensuring C4DP’s well-being and stability as we move forward with this promising and exciting transition process.

In closing, while transitions can be challenging, they also hold promise for new beginnings. We trust that the right leader will emerge to caretake C4DP to its next level of achievement and impact. We are grateful for your continued support for C4DP; together we will make this transition a success. If you have any questions, concerns, or ideas about our search or transition process, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me or our Board Chair, Cynthia Murray, [email protected].

Yours Toward a World of Domestic Peace,

Donna Garske

Executive Director