Welcome to 2026-2027 Club Year

Dear Founder Region Members,
It is an honor and a privilege to serve as your Governor for the 2026-2028 biennium. As I step into this role, I am filled with both humility and excitement. Humility because I know the extraordinary legacy of leaders who have come before me in Founder Region, and excitement because of what I believe we are capable of achieving together over the next two years.

Every governor chooses a theme that will guide and inspire the work of the biennium. Mine is Empowering Through Education. I chose these three words carefully, because they capture everything I believe Soroptimist and Founder Region stand for.

At the heart of what we do is education. Not just as a program or a grant, but as a belief. A conviction that when a woman has access to education, her entire world changes. She earns more. She makes healthier decisions for her family. She becomes a model for her children and her community. She breaks cycles that have held women back for generations.

This is not just idealism. The research is clear. Soroptimist International of the Americas' own study, Education and Economic Empowerment: The Future for Women and Girls, documents the profound and lasting impact of investing in women's education. It is the single most effective lever we have for creating lasting change.
Each month in this Governor’s Blog, I will bring you something informative and grounded in our mission. I want every post to feel like it was written with your club in mind, because it was. Over the biennium we will explore:
How our Dream Programs work and how to maximize your club's participation

• The data and research behind the barriers women and girls face in accessing education
• How Soroptimist advocates for girls' education at the United Nations
• Creative fundraising ideas, membership strategies, and club spotlights from across Founder Region
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My goal is that every post leaves you with something you can use. Something to share with your club, to discuss at a meeting, or to use as inspiration for your next community project.
As a retired teacher, lifelong learning is something I believe in. And I know the same is true for every one of you. You show up with hard-won experience, passion, creativity, and roots deep in your communities that you serve. My job as your Governor is to keep you informed on any Soroptimist updates and best practices, to support your efforts, and to make sure you know, loudly and often, that your work matters. We are changing lives, not just of the women and girls we serve but our own lives as we carry on this critical work.

Jackie De Vries
Governor, Founder Region
Soroptimist International of the Americas
Biennium 2026–2028
"Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world." — Nelson Mandela