Talbot Family Network (TFN) recently announced the hire of Nancy Andrew as their new executive director. The purpose of the organization is to identify and develop support systems for Talbot County children and families. As part of her responsibilities, Andrew will administer and monitor the allocation of money sent to each county for child and family services from the Governor’s Office for Children. TFN also maintains a resource directory for the community–HealthyTalbot.org.
But this new job doesn’t mean Andrew is new to the world of community service. You might even say it was in her blood. Her father, the late Herb ‘Herby’ Andrew, was on numerous community and nonprofit boards, besides spending four terms on the Talbot County Council and serving as Chairman of Talbot Bank. Her mom Della was a school teacher, 4-H leader, and for many years, ran the Easton Day Care Center (now Critchlow Adkins).
With her family’s experience as a background, it’s not surprising that Andrew has spent over 15 years leading other community-based nonprofit organizations, such as Habitat for Humanity Choptank and Talbot Mentors. “I’ve been on the receiving end of state funds before, through Talbot Mentors, for instance,” said Andrew, “but this is more on the administration end. I think sometimes organizations like Talbot Family Network that don’t provide direct services can be a little hard and a little more challenging for the public to appreciate.”
What Andrew does realize in the short time that she’s been involved are the various ways her organization can assist with some of the problems in the community. “Child poverty is an issue for Talbot County, and we need to make sure that families, particularly those with young children, are food secure,” she says. “Another program deals with improving school graduation rates. It is not a huge problem, but it’s a data point where we can move the needle. And our partnering with the school system is an example of doing that.”
Identifying programs for TFN is another process Andrew is involved with. “We look at the data, and then every couple of years, we do a larger community survey. We might have community listening sessions. We might talk to incarcerated parents at our local jail. We try to get to all sectors of the community, focusing on children and families to find out what the needs are. Based on those needs, we see if there are existing programs, and we continue to fund those. And then there are times where there isn’t a program, and we might put out a request for proposals to invite somebody to create a program.” There will also be times, Andrew says, where they may have to discontinue funding a program if the state’s priorities change; something she is aware will be hard to navigate.
There is much that excites Andrew about this new opportunity. One, in particular, involves exploring how different issues, i.e., childhood hunger, poverty, etc., impact people of different races. “We’ve been working to address issues of racial equity in our community for several years. One way has been by investing in some training opportunities,” says Andrew.
In addition to creating workshops and having resources available, TFN also sponsors a facilitated monthly conversation on race, open to anyone in the community who wants to come in and dialogue with their neighbors and other community members about race. “That’s a significant space for us to keep going, keep open because certainly my experience growing up here is race has not been something that was easily talked about. It’s sort of like money. People aren’t sure: Is it polite? Who can I talk to about it, who can’t I? So that’s an important piece of what we’ve been doing.”
This focus on training is something that Andrew is keeping high on her list of priorities as she learns her job: “In preparation for our reallocation with the state, we do site visits with the programs that we fund. These were done virtually, but also a little more extensively this year, since I was new. Because we have some training money, we’re also looking around for additional training partners. There are many resources out there for racial equity training, but it’s a very busy space. Over the last couple of weeks, I’ve been trying to make sure that we’re not just reoffering the same thing. Some workshops you want to keep offering because there are still people in the community who haven’t had the opportunity to go through them. But as more and more people go through the introduction programs, you need that second or third tier to keep them going in the process.”
Even as she gets comfortable with her new job, Andrew is finishing up a short-term contract–through March, with Talbot County coordinating some of the county’s response to COVID-19. She is also currently attending grad school, getting her Masters in Social Work—not because she aspires to be a clinician, but because she hopes it will help her better understand how to change public policy.
With little free time, Andrew has had to cut back on some of the things she enjoys. This includes being part of an improv group she joined three years ago, something which she acknowledges as important even on her LinkedIn page, describing herself as an “ardent storyteller …with a passion for public speaking. Yes, and I love improv.”
Daniel Brown, who heads up Reflex Improv, where Andrew is part of a troupe, says, “From the start, she completely embodied the two most important elements for improv to work well: ‘Yes-And,’ which to me means ‘I’ve heard you and I’m going to honor what you’ve contributed by adding my own piece’ as well as ‘Got Your Back,’ which means ‘I’m going to make you look great!’ I think both of these improv skills came naturally for her because those two qualities were already a part of who she is as a person.”
Which circles back to her upbringing and her parents, who lived by the sayings that Andrew now embraces, one of which she quoted: ‘For those to whom much is given, much is required.’ Andrew explains, “I’ve never wanted for food. I never felt unsafe, and I’m fortunate that I’ve had people around me who supported and encouraged me, especially as a young person. I’m aware that not everyone has that same experience. It really means a lot to me to be part of my community. I feel a real responsibility that I can make a difference in people’s individual lives.”
For more information about the Talbot Family Network, visit HealthyTalbot.org or call 410-770-6870.
Val Cavalheri is a recent transplant to the Eastern Shore, having lived in Northern Virginia for the past 20 years. She’s been a writer, editor and professional photographer for various publications, including the Washington Post.
Val Cavalheri is a recent transplant to the Eastern Shore, having lived in Northern Virginia for the past 20 years. She’s been a writer, editor and professional photographer for various publications, including the Washington Post.
George Merrill says
Nancy
Wonderful news about you and for TFN. Congratulations.
George
Buck Waller says
Congratulations Nancy; TFN is very lucky to have you!
Kathy Bosin says
Perfect match! Bravo for Talbot children and families, and the community organizations that serve them. Great news, Nancy!
Charlie Bohn says
TFN could not have picked a better leader! Congratulations to both Nancy and TFN.