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It is with some sadness and deep gratitude for the values we share and the work we have accomplished together that I announce my departure from my post as CEO at DuraSpace to serve as the Associate University Librarian for Technology Services at Arizona State University Library, effective June 25, 2018. . As of June 1, Erin Tripp, Business Development Manager at DuraSpace, will serve as the Interim Chief Executive Officer. Valorie Hollister will serve permanently as the Chief Financial Officer, assisting Erin with the transition.
As DuraSpace CEO the organization had its strongest fiscal year ever in 2017. We have built a team of community and technology experts who will continue to successfully carry out the DuraSpace mission. When I came to DuraSpace in 2015, I was fortunate to be able to continue the work of my predecessor, Michele Kimpton, to build a robust membership program that currently enjoys a 94% retention rate. Relationships with the Samvera Project have been formalized and strengthened and, most recently, DuraSpace entered a partnership agreement with CASRAI. The DuraSpace hosted services business has also matured providing much needed archiving and preservation services to the community as well as additional support for our open source projects through revenues from hosted services.
In partnership with the Digital Public Library of America and Stanford University Library, we led the successful completion of the IMLS-funded Hydra-In-A-Box grant and the continued exploration of the HykuDirect service offering. I am committed Her commitment to expanded engagement with international user communities and the broader scholarly ecosystem . This focus has cultivated new memberships and strategic partnerships. With staff supportDuring my tenure, DuraSpace has improved relationships with service providers and others in the global scholarly ecosystem. A focus on increased and different kinds of engagement ensures that community needs are heard and met, broadening fiscal and in-kind support for shared open source software development which in turn has amplified DuraSpace’s organizational ability to serve wide and diverse stakeholder communities.
Transparency and accountability in fiscal management have been significantly improved under my leadership including human resources functions, access to business experts and administrative processes, and business and financial management processes.
“DuraSpace is in the healthiest shape it’s ever been under Debra’s leadership,” said Tyler Walters, Board President of DuraSpace. “I know Board members are grateful for all her efforts and accomplishments. We wish her Dher well in her new post at ASU.”
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It has been a great privilege and pleasure to have served as CEO at DuraSpace as they we have grown in staff, membership, and funding, broadened their broadening our scope, and extended extending the community’s collective reach. I am so proud of all we have accomplished and I look forward to continuing to support its mission as a community member.The DuraSpace Board of Directors is discussing recruitment planning and will announce an interim leadership plan by June 1.(likely more detail here).
With many thanks for your support and participation.
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