According to their blog, The Scrum Alliance announced that they have “parted ways” with Donna Farmer, their managing director (http://www.scrumalliance.org/blog/134-changes-in-the-scrum-alliance). Carol McEwan is now heading up the directorship, and she is ready to hit the ground running, bringing with her some note-worthy benefits for the Scrum Alliance team.
Carol combines her expertise as a technology manager with note-able companies like Coors Brewing, with a strong and successful entrepreneurial career to really pack a power punch for the Scrum Alliance. She has not only founded a nice mobile phone marketing business, but she also has worked with a virtual team, and everyone that works with her speaks positively of their collaboration with Carol McEwan.
With the Scrum Alliance, Carol will officially be called “Managing Director” just like her predecessors have been called, however, the mechanics of that position are being re-evaluated by the powers that be within the Scrum Alliance. Scuttlebutt is that the Managing Director will now split responsibilities with a yet-to-be-determined-and-still-to-be-officially-established Executive Director. The official decision to create an Executive Director position, the logistics of how that split might work, and even considerations for who might fill that position are currently under deliberation (and why not? They just finished getting a new Managing Director. Establishing, and filling yet another position would understandably require time for forethought). So while nothing is official, the idea is that the Managing Director would be inward focused, while the Executive Director would focus on outside opportunities. Ultimately the goal with a split would be to increase the effectiveness of the Scrum Alliance on the whole. The scope and breadth of the managing director position would be narrowed, allowing the MD to laser-in on managing the logistics of the organization as it stands currently. (i.e, processes, people, initiatives, etc). Again, the goal would be effectiveness, and nothing is yet carved in stone.
So what is Carol like, you ask? Well, here are the biographical notes you’re all chomping at the bit to know: She and her husband are originally Canadian, recently became American citizens. They have two kids: a son (15) and daughter (10).
After learning her mom would be using a Windows PC at work, Carol’s daughter immediately intervened by scowering ebay for a low priced MacBook which she offered as the alternative—and clearly her preferred–computer for Carol to use. Her son is an avid hockey player, and actually has just moved to Dalla, Texas to attend a hockey + regular school, where he splits his time between hockey practice and academics. Carol’s son will actually be the organizational force behind the Scrum Alliance hockey team. Carol is neither a cat nor dog person. Her and her family live in Westminster, Colorado.
Carol is not yet a Certified Scrum Master (CSM), but she will be taking the 3-week course in Boulder, Colorado to get that certification. It is reported that she has her own easy-flare with Scrum, so the certification is expected to come quite naturally for her.
Today, Wednesday April 6, is Carol’s first day on the job, so feel free to send her an email (cmce…@scrumalliance.org) to welcome her to the Scrum Alliance. Welcome Carol!
Check out the SA article on Carol’s new position here.
