Dori Rose Inda Leaves Watsonville Law Center

Submitted by the Watsonville Law Center Board of Directors

Dear Friends of the Watsonville Law Center,

On behalf of the staff and Board of Directors of the Watsonville Law Center, we write to inform you our founder and leader of twelve years, Dori Rose Inda is moving on.  We ask that you join us in wishing her the very best and in welcoming Mr. Frank Hespe as interim executive director. Over the past twelve years, with the support and contributions of staff and partners like you, Dori has built the Law Center into a leader in innovative and collaborative approaches to resolving legal problems affecting low income individuals and their families.  Dori now has an opportunity to make pursue a leadership position with Salud Para La Gente, another organization providing critical services to the community.  Although we are very sad to lose her, we cheer her decision to take on this new and important challenge.  She leaves the Law Center as a thriving organization with capable staff, a committed Board of Directors, and many strong partners.

As we begin our transition to new leadership, we are excited to have attracted an interim director of the caliber of Frank Hespe.  Frank's outstanding legal career spans private, non-profit, and public sectors.  Among many other roles, he has served as Dean of the Monterey College of Law, executive director of Legal Services for Seniors, and Country Director for the American Bar Association Rule of Law Initiative.  In 2010, the Monterey County Bar Association awarded him the prestigious Gibson Award for distinguished community service. 

Frank will begin as interim director immediately and will play an important role in ensuring WLC board, staff and programs undergo an effective transition.  He will work with Board and staff to identify leadership needs of WLC and may contact you as he helps to collect information towards this end. Dori will remain available to WLC as a resource for staff and board as they navigate the coming transition.

During this time of leadership transition we especially appreciate your support and partnership.  I assure you WLC Board of Directors and staff are committed to using this opportunity to engage in strategic planning, hire an outstanding long-term executive director, and continue the Watsonville Law Center’s standard of excellence in providing innovative and effective legal services to the community.

Yours very truly,

Board of Directors