When I first acknowledged the fact that we were going to be interviewing board members, I wasn’t as nervous, but when I stepped inside that room it was like someone flicked on the nervous switch. I managed to get through it, and I’m still not sure how, but maybe it had to do with the fact 
that my interviewee, Kevin, made me laugh.
Mr. Kevin told me that being a board member is not hard, but there’s lots of discussion. I asked him if he ever volunteered anywhere else, he replied, “No, just here is really time-consuming, it’s a very active board.”
He added that he was bribed into becoming a member of this board [much laughter]. Kevin claimed to have been brought to lunch with no knowledge of what he was about to get into, thinking it was just going to be a nice, normal lunch with a cool discussion of what each other’s day was going to be like. Then, he was informed about the festival as they wined & dined. Later, he went to the festival, enjoyed it and gained interest; he became acquainted with the members, liked them, and, so joined the board.
During the interview Kevin informed me that the purpose of the board of directors is to oversee the executive director, ensure financial health, and make sure the organization continues to run efficiently. Another thing I learned about the board is how they go about decision-making: initial suggestions are made in board meetings and votes are taken, followed by discussion from committees. The nominating committee nominates new members; the board chooses who’s going to have what title by whoever is willing to accept the position.
I asked Kevin, “Who is eligible to attend the festival and what’s the purpose?” His response was, “The community and anyone willing to attend has the ability to enjoy the festival and to challenge people to see what they normally don’t.”
Kevin feels as if he’s going to be on this board until he leaves New Haven -- which may not ever happen -- or get kicked out. I really enjoyed my interview with Kevin. It was a very interesting and different experience.