Eneid A. Francis

Attorney Eneid Francis served at the helm of the Southern Area from 2011-2015 under the theme “Effecting Change Through the Power of Friendship and Service.” The result of her efforts could be summed up as unparalleled growth and accomplishment.

“This success was the result of our never-ending commitment to fostering greater friendships among our members and providing more impactful, transformational service in the communities we serve,” she shared. Her administration’s programmatic thrust included: Mentoring children, giving them the STEM training they need to succeed in college and beyond; Focused on healthy living creating opportunities for families to make better meal choices and encouraged them to exercise more and brought the arts to students and communities who were hungry for greater cultural exposure. Member participation in Area Links Day at the Capitol events grew and when disasters struck at home and abroad, Links hands offered caring support and basic necessities as victims struggled to put their lives back together.

ACCOMPLISHMENTS
PROGRAMMING: Focused on decreasing the existing disparities among the minority populations in the United States and abroad through programs that are transformational and sustainable and in alignment with the organization’s program initiatives.

• Introduced Mentoring With a Twist, a mentoring program that focuses on pairing mentees with mentor in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) careers. The twist is that chapters are asked to not only mentor young people, but to also provide programs that promote STEM through an arts integrated approach.
• Introduced quilting as a means of introducing math, science and technology concepts through an arts integrated approach.
• Reintroduced the Key Communicator system, which assigns a Program Team member to a group of chapter program chairs. Key Communicators send monthly emails to their chapters with information about programming updates, serve as the liaison between area chapters and our National Program Team, answer general questions, and provide programmatic support as needed.
• Friendship Month: Celebrated Friendship Month in November 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2014 with daily friendship greetings sent to Southern Area Links by e-‑blast.
• Introduced Area Condolence notification
• Implemented Southern Area webinar series. Presented programming and operational webinars that reached more than 4300 Southern Area Links.
• Established Southern Area Organizational Effectiveness Committee on the Area and Chapter level.
• Introduced Chapter President monthly calls dubbed the First Monday Exchange, a monthly conference call to share information and promote a dialogue between chapter presidents and the Southern Area Executive Committee.
• Appointed first Area Chair of Leadership Development.
• Opened Constant Contact account to enable effective, regular communication.
• Introduced the Areas first e-zine, the Advantage, which published articles that not only addressed operational and service facets of Linkdom, but health issues that are pertinent to the mind, body, and spirit of our members.
• Launched the Green Pages on November 12, 2012. The Green Pages is an intra-organizational resource guide located in the “Members Only” section of the Southern Area website, listing members’ professional and entrepreneurial skill sets, as well as their hobbies and special interests.
• Established the Southern Area Newsmaker Award to encourage chapters to promote the Links’ brand in their internal and external communications, which was awarded in at the 42nd Southern Area Conference in May 2013 and will be awarded again at the 43rd Southern Area Conference in May 2015.
• Launched the Southern Area’s social media presence including a Facebook page and Twitter account.
• Established the Southern Area boutique to promote internal branding through the sale of Southern Area-related items.
• Established a permanent home for the Southern Area Archives at the Amistad Research Center at Tulane University. The collection’s core is comprised of official documents including minutes and conference guides. Area history books as well as chapter histories and photos enhance these core documents. A master list details what has been collected and what is needed.

“What we have done makes me proud to have served with you and called you my sister and friend.” Said Francis. She was known amongst her Executive Team to often seek input and create an open dialogue building a sense of community ownership of those who served under her leadership. She has continued her love of service and Links by serving as the current Southern Area Parliamentarian. Many of the contributions she introduced as Area Director are still being utilized and valued today, including her mentee, 20th Southern Area Director Sylvia Perry.