We periodically shine the spotlight on those that help make CAI-CLAC successful. We turn to Kimberly Lilley, CMCA, CIRMS and newly-minted PR Chair of the CAI-CLAC Executive Committee.
Kimberly Lilley, CAI-CLAC PR Chair
How did you first get involved with CAI-CLAC and when was it?
I first got involved with the California Legislative Action Committee by participating in the local legislative support roundtable in San Diego. The immediate needs of the roundtable were in the fundraising field, and I had experience in putting on events, so I put together proposals for the committee about how to develop a fundraiser. At the end of 2008 I was named as Chair of the roundtable and was appointed as a Delegate to the state-wide committee. At the end of 2009 I was elected to the executive committee of CLAC as secretary.
What’s the most important goal for you in your new role as PR Chair?
Improved communication is the most important goal I have for this year as PR Chair. Our communication avenues are threefold: 1) communication with the Delegates and Liaisons about their roles and responsibilities with CLAC, 2) communication with the CAI membership-at-large regarding the legislative process and how they can be involved; and 3) communication with non-members of CAI about what the California Legislative Action Committee does for them with regards to advocacy for the community association industry.
How would you like to work with CAI-CLAC members this year?
As the “spokespersons” for each chapter, the Liaisons and I will probably work the closest together this year. We will be working on clarifying the message that we give to our membership about legislation and CAI-CLAC events by using announcements at Chapter events, the California Legislative Action Committee blog (ed note: Right here!), newsletter articles for HOA newsletters, Facebook, Twitter and e-mail through CLAC-TRAC.
What are the biggest challenges facing CAI-CLAC members this year?
Our challenges this year as California Legislative Action Committee members are mainly going to be from legislation: SB 561 could potentially change how associations do business regarding collection procedures, the fix to SB 209 needs to be ironed out regarding the “taking” of property, and there is the massive recodification of the Davis-Stirling Act that will certainly make use of the new-and-improved communication skills our committee is working on developing! The 2011-2012 legislative year holds some possibly major changes, and we need to be ready to rally the troops and make a difference.
You’re a member of several CAI chapters. Tell us a bit about them.
I am the Director of Marketing for Berg Insurance Agency, which has been around for 38 years and was one of the first insurance companies to specialize in the community association industry. As such we joined Community Associations Institute many years ago with Orange County as our “home” Chapter. I currently chair the PR-Membership Committee in Orange County, and my boss, Michael Berg, co-chairs the Education Committee and has been elected to their Board of Directors in 2012. Both Michael and I have won the Outstanding Service Award (2009 and 2010 respectively) for the Orange County chapter and I was also given the Committee Member of the Year award in 2008.
We then joined the San Diego, Greater Inland Empire and Greater Los Angeles chapters. Members of our company have served on the Magazine, Education, Membership and Legislative Support committees in San Diego, the Education, Monte Carlo, Bowling and Awards committees in the Greater Inland Empire and the Education committee in the Greater Los Angeles chapter. We have been honored with the Rising Star, President’s, Committee Chair and Committee Member of the Year awards in the Greater Inland Empire and the Committee Chair and Member of the Year awards in San Diego.
As our business grew in the Bay Area, we joined the Bay Area and Central California chapter of CAI to support the industry and education in that area.
We strongly support the messages of education and advocacy that CAI promotes, and do what we can to continue providing those things to community associations throughout California.