Interview with Tom Brillat
Who is Tom Brillat? Like so many others, I am a gray-haired baby boomer.
That's pretty thin. Is there more? Sure I have,"a back story" but first let me say what I hope to do for LANES...
Ok I have several primary tasks for the next few months:
First, I want to concentrate on communications: to and from our members-,and, on a larger scale, introduce LANES and storytelling to those people and organizations not familiar with us. This includes making sure the website meets members' expectations, upgrading the quality and quantity of information within our data base, responding to inquiries and suggestions as quickly as possible, upgrading the services LANES offers, identifying new ones and keeping members informed about Board activities.
Second , with the help of the membership and that of the Board, I want to increase participation on our committees. The success of any tax-exempt organization is directly related to the activity of its committees. Please keep in mind committee members do not have to be members of LANES, but just willing to work. Our most pressing needs are on our Nominating, Fundraising and Membership committees.
Third, I plan to put together a reference document of policies and procedures. These guidelines are vital to maintain operational continuity as individuals move on and off our board and committees.
Fourth, I will do my best to explain our financial status. It is much easier to support LANES if members know where our funds come from and how they are spent. Our previous Treasurer, Steve Kelley, did a remarkable amount of work in gathering this information, making it available and beginning the budget education process. I will pick up where he left off and help people understand as much as they want to know.
and NOW the backstory
Who is Tom Brillat? Like I said I am a gray-haired baby boomer.
Hmm Ok-Let me be more specific. Where did you grow up? On Long Island, New York. In Nassau County- Massapequa Park, then South Farmingdale and finally in Westbury. All in all, it was an ok place to grow up. I had friends my age. There were places to play. I lived in a solid middle class neighborhood. Everyone went to public schools(except for a few staunch Catholics and a tiny handful of the very well-to- do.)
Anything you want to say about your family? Yes, I had one and still have one . Then-two younger sisters, parents, grandparents,cousins, the whole deal. Blue collar family-white collar ambitions. Now-married-very long time-two grown children, white collar family-blue collar clothes. Still have two younger sisters, parents a batch of cousins and have added nieces, a nephew and numerous assorted second cousins. I love them all.
What do you like to do? I like sports but was never a great athlete. I like to learn but was never a great student (good-not great). I like talking with friends as well as strangers , but I was never very outgoing. I like being active in a variety of activities, but I am fully capable of sitting for hours in front of the television without knowing what show I'm watching. I like strumming my guitar, albeit without great technical ability. I love to travel and I like to pretend I can speak Spanish and French, but I always enjoy coming home and I am most at ease with English.
Most folks usually want to know about education., training, and work experience. Did you attend college? yes
Can you please tell us a bit more? Ok.
College- United States Naval Academy, Class of 1973. Very proud to have gone, glad I don't have to go back. Talk about life changing. Grad School-University of Rhode Island(URI) I wrote an international marine research treaty for my thesis. Go figure. Teacher certification at Providence College. Never satisfied-I became certified in two areas: social studies and science. Maybe someday someone will hire me to teach one of them. Business management and non-profit certification at URI and Columbia University respectively. There needs to be a school for common sense. This is mostly what you learn in management programs.
Jobs Working for a living . Getting a paycheck . Necessary, I guess. I have been a naval officer, life insurance salesman, coastal planner, harbormaster of a major commercial sea port( Charleston, South Carolina), air freight manager at Hartsfield(Atlanta) and Logan airports for Flying Tigers-at the time it was the world's largest cargo airline, square-rig sailor and director of an historic ship foundation, Rainbow salesman (yes Rainbows)insurance adjuster ,jewlery display case maker, teacher, marketing manager and adult educator. And I'm sure I've left some out. I've enjoyed every one yet I've been fired, reduced in force, quit in frustration and resigned on my own terms."
How did you get involved in storytelling? Well , as executive director of an adult education program I received a grant from The Rhode Island Foundation at the end of 1999. I became part of the inaugural class of RI Foundation Fellows. I wanted to use my grant to help students in our programs improve their literacy skills. Most of them had problems with the written word;reading it or writing it, but they all had a story. I was lucky I used the grant to attend storytelling workshops and festivals with some of our best tellers. I quickly discovered that , not only did I have great info to bring back to work I enjoyed listening to and telling stories myself. I have been telling stories part time since Nancy Cavanaugh of NSN made me get up in front of a group at a workshop during the Tales of Graz in 2000 and tell. I recount original and personal stories with a few adapted traditional ones tossed into the mix.
Thank you Tom. I wish you all the best in your new position as Director of the LANES .
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