Jun 30, 2026 | J-KOA June 2026 National Board Meeting
Attendees: Koya, Toni, Danielle, Eric, Alex
Notes
Icebreaker - Which do you consider to be the strongest emotion?
Toni: Panic - when we’re panicking, we’re not always thinking clearly
Eric: Love - it can make some good things, but it can make some bad things as well: love-bombing is real and love can drive us to do both positive and negative things
Danielle: It depends on what’s driving you, fear and love both drive us for different reasons!
Koya: Taking answer from a friend: Nostalgia can be the strongest emotion, the idea of how good is rooted to something behind us can dictate our other emotions and movements
National Board member updates
National President + 10 min
APS Partnership
Proposal worked on, discussing with Ryan a restructuring happening in his group
Wanted to talk to Ryan about what everyone’s expectations are in this partnership; the group sees themselves as more of a plug but don’t want to be involved as the connect is made
MOUs needed between us and the schools; not legally binding but helps us all state expectations
Eric to talk with Aurora’s KOA to navigate who is doing what and where
Question: Do we want to make the MOU for our current partnership to build upon for future expansions, or do we want to hold off until we have to out of necessity?
Training MOU for this year before the more binding option gets launched
Need to clarify: Is it just establishing the relationship or for what we are going to do?
National Historian
Talked with my friend T who’s doing 3-D Printing/Embroidery about our future merch options! General quoting:
I misunderstood and T doesn’t have a wholesale connect but had a place he likes to go; same would apply if he’s shopping for us (whatever the price of the shirt + $10 would be his fee per shirt) but if he can’t for sure get them cheaper I’d rather shop for us
Merch updates - Koya also looking into other options to make sure we get the most bang for our buck!
Cost analysis meeting with Koya/Toni!
Proposal: purchase merchandise
Historian requests for the website (please, and thank you in advance!)
Names, titles and photos of the new 2026-27 Aurora Board
Onboarding form for incoming board members: https://forms.gle/H5s4skiJ3G5mNWDE8
Have only received updates for Bay KOA so I’m guessing Aurora KOA is on break!
Taken from first and final circle times from my time at City Year (will double check if this is copyrighted language, but it is still a great reflection tool!)
Ripples: interactions that sparked another positive event that either parallels or grew from the original interaction
Joys: Significant moments during your time in your position that made you happy, smile, laugh, etc.
Appreciations: shout-outs to specific people or groups of people that you feel deserve praise (and why you think they deserve it)
Presidents + National Director: End of academic year reflection (pasted from last meeting notes for reference!!)
Please make a 300-500 word reflection talking about how the year went for the branches you are serving!
Ideas for topics to write on:
Dear future board
Ripples, Joys, and Appreciations
Taken from first and final circle times from my time at City Year (will double check if this is copyrighted language, but it is still a great reflection tool!)
Ripples: interactions that sparked another positive event that either parallels or grew from the original interaction
Joys: Significant moments during your time in your position that made you happy, smile, laugh, etc.
Appreciations: shout-outs to specific people or groups of people that you feel deserve praise (and why you think they deserve it)
An unexpected challenge, and how your board overcame it
3 lessons/pieces of advice you want to pass down to the next president (or other position)
Goals you set and what the progress is looking like towards the end of the year
Andrea: Bay Area KOA’s Outreach event from last month
TEKS: how the fair went (directors, mentors, etc.)
Feel free to submit more than one reflection! Place article drafts in this folder for revision: Website Blog Articles
The writer will decide when the draft is in its final form after the review process starts, before the reflection gets posted on the website. Please email the National Board members when you upload into the folder so whoever is available to review at that time can help
Please plan to have final drafts by July 31, 2026!
KOYA TO SEND MEDIA RELEASE WAIVED PHOTOS BY FRIDAY
National Treasurer
Issues with card usage (being able to use it for things) we are problem solving to sort out!
We are trying to prevent Amy needing to take responsibility for the storage unit; need to work out the transfer of ownership to make transitions smoother
Danielle to work out the change in ownership!
Without the card working we don’t have access to the ACC funds we have
Bay Area KOA
Danielle to discuss with Andrea which of their new board members will be taking their “treasurer” role of their new board members
Regional Branch Presidents
Alex/A-KOA:
Giving the board rest time but would like document of roles and expecations
National Director
National Bylaws currently standing in place for all of our branches
Neither branch has an official set of bylaws that caters to their goals and our operational binds
Are we okay with where things are at present? Do we need to make adjustments?
Advisory Council adjustments?
National Board check-in - is any restructuring of the board needed in preparation for this upcoming academic year or does the current board still feel confident in our current structure and function?
Option: Advisory council becomes “national board” and we’d C-suite (lack of better term)
Push back on the idea of putting more between us and our branches
Idea: extend the board to a new role that manages some functions and maintains that we are constantly in compliance as we are continuing to build our nonprofit
We need a compliance officer!!
Koya to send out invites to the quarterly advisory council meetings
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