Two weeks ago, we announced that the CoCo would hold its inaugural elections for senior leadership positions. The past two weeks have hardly been quiet. As we readied the technical logistics of our voting platform, massive wildfires have ignited much of the West Coast, devastating many communities and threatening the air quality of many others. I raise this issue for two reasons. First, we know that national events affect our players--from coronavirus to racial injustice to natural disasters. The fires are threatening many of our West Coast players with evacuation or hazardous air. Second, amidst all that anxiety and danger, we’ve seen the strength of the Scrabble community. Friends are checking in on each other, sheltering together (with COVID-friendly precautions), and sharing information and tools about the fires. 

One aspect of the Scrabble community that I have always found remarkable is that you can journey to so many places and find a friendly Scrabbler willing to meet or host you. What you’ll find among the candidate platforms for this election is a recurring theme of how special this community is and how the candidates want to nurture and sustain it. The platforms written by the candidates are heartfelt and visionary. With turbulent times in progress and turbulent times ahead for 2020, I urge you to read their platforms in full and consider what resonates with your vision of Scrabble on this continent. 

Any CoCo member who resides in North America was eligible for election, and we had no idea how many people would run. In the end, eight people registered as candidates. They bring diverse experiences and skill sets and we are excited to present them to you here. Below are the 2020 candidates for the CoCo’s leadership positions, listed in alphabetical order by first name, with snippets from their platforms.

Candidates for Board of Directors

Becky Dyer

“I believe strongly that Collins is the way forward, and would like to do everything I can to advance this cause. Let's bring players together from all over the world with a common lexicon.  Let's give more opportunities for North American players to be part of the world. At heart I'm truly a "helper" type and I would love the opportunity to help accomplish the goals and vision of the CoCo.”

Conrad Bassett-Bouchard

“I believe CoCo represents a solid future for our beloved game, and I hope to apply my skills as an experience designer at one of the world's largest companies to building CoCo as both an organization and a fun and inclusive place for anyone to play Scrabble.”

Evans Clinchy

“I believe that as a community, we should strive to be more inclusive of all players and more engaged with the rest of the Scrabble world. As a copywriter and marketer, I know a lot about how to craft a message and build a brand, especially by creating engaging online content. I think this perspective will be valuable as we work to grow the game in the years ahead.”

Geoff Thevenot

“I've been involved with the Collins movement in North America from its early days, and it's great that we have an organization dedicated to supporting those efforts and promoting a stronger connection with players around the world. I'd say my strengths lie in my ability to consider and analyze multiple sides of issues with care and a broader perspective. I would welcome the opportunity to help develop a strong organizational approach for establishing and growing our member community.”

Peter Armstrong

“I have played tournament Scrabble for almost 25 years now. CoCo is the first opportunity that I’ve been excited about because I see CoCo as an opportunity to support the Scrabble community while advancing the game. One opportunity is to grow the community through diversity. I think it’s time to actively promote diversity in our game, including supporting Black Lives Matter however we can.”

Puneet Sharma

“I have had the opportunity to play in clubs and tournaments all over the world, including world championships. This experience has helped me understand what the players truly desire - a cohesive community and an organization that facilitates fair and challenging competition in a growth-oriented and inclusive manner. CoCo has exhibited these traits from the get-go: aligning on a unified dictionary strategy (Collins), democratic governing practices, pioneering virtual Scrabble.”

Steve Pellinen

“I would like to see one lexicon in play everywhere, bringing our various communities together. I would like to see our game elevated as a mind sport that would be supported at all levels of play and with a platform that rewards and nurtures our very best players at a professional level. I think a Scrabble® governing organization should be both a fertile field for growing new ideas and a foundation for established practices. It should be player oriented and provide directors with the support, tools and responsibility to grow the game in numbers and abilities.”

Candidate for Executive Director

Only one person signed up to run for Executive Director (me). As stated in my platform, “In collaboration with our five teams and the Board, I would continue to develop the essential policies, practices, and structures needed to sustain this organization into the future. My goal is to build the organization's foundations solidly so that future leaders can take over and lift the CoCo to new heights.” 

Vote!

All 237 CoCo members, no matter where they reside, will receive a unique link by email today from our anonymous voting system. You have until September 26 to vote. Your voice and your vote matters because it shows that you care about the future of this game and the leaders who will build that future. We thank all the candidates who stepped up and showed their willingness to do the hard work of leading and developing this organization. In two weeks, we will publish the results of the election here and give you a preview of what’s to come. Until then, stay safe everyone, and thanks for being part of this community.