The People Who Make It Happen
Behind every PASOR event, initiative, and accomplishment is a dedicated team of volunteer leaders. Our board members give countless hours to guide the organization, make difficult decisions, and ensure that PASOR serves our community effectively. Understanding who they are and what motivates them provides insight into what makes PASOR special.
Leadership Through Service
PASOR's board members are united by a common commitment: using their time and talents to strengthen the Pakistani American community in Rochester. They come from diverse professional backgrounds—medicine, business, engineering, education, finance—but share values of service, cultural preservation, and community building.
Board service is entirely voluntary. Members receive no compensation; instead, they invest significant personal time because they believe in PASOR's mission. Many serve for years, building institutional knowledge that sustains organizational effectiveness.
Board Responsibilities
The PASOR board handles crucial organizational functions:
Strategic Direction: Setting priorities, approving major initiatives, and ensuring alignment with mission. The board decides what PASOR will focus on and how resources will be allocated.
Financial Oversight: Managing budgets, ensuring fiscal responsibility, and maintaining transparency. Board members are accountable for how community donations are used.
Event Governance: Approving the annual event calendar, allocating resources for programs, and ensuring quality execution. Major events like the Shaukat Khanum fundraiser receive board-level attention.
Community Representation: Serving as PASOR's face in the broader community, participating in interfaith initiatives, and building relationships with civic leaders.
Organizational Health: Ensuring PASOR has appropriate policies, manages risks effectively, and operates professionally.
Meet Our Leaders
While respecting privacy, we can share the types of leaders who serve on PASOR's board:
The Founding Members: Some board members have been involved since PASOR's earliest days. Their institutional memory and long-term perspective are invaluable. They remember challenges overcome and lessons learned.
The Healthcare Professionals: Physicians and other medical professionals bring expertise that shapes our health initiatives. They connect PASOR with medical resources and ensure our health education is accurate.
The Business Leaders: Entrepreneurs and executives bring organizational skills, financial acumen, and professional networks. They help PASOR operate efficiently and build sustainable programs.
The Community Connectors: Some board members excel at relationship-building, ensuring that all segments of our community feel welcome and represented.
The Young Professionals: Younger board members bring fresh perspectives, technological savvy, and connection to the next generation of community members.
Motivations and Stories
What motivates someone to take on board responsibilities? The answer varies:
One board member recalls arriving in Rochester as a graduate student with no connections. "PASOR was my lifeline," she says. "Years later, I serve on the board to ensure others find the same support I did."
Another board member speaks of his parents, who instilled values of community service. "They always said success means nothing if you don't give back. PASOR lets me honor their teachings."
A physician board member explains, "I see patients who could have avoided serious illness with better health education. Through PASOR, I can reach our community with prevention messages that save lives."
A business owner notes the community's role in his success. "My first customers were PASOR members who trusted a fellow community member. Board service is my way of returning that trust."
The Work Behind the Scenes
While members see polished events and smooth programs, board members know the work that creates these outcomes:
Planning Meetings: Regular gatherings where calendars are set, problems are solved, and decisions are made. These meetings often happen in evenings after long workdays.
Crisis Management: When challenges arise—venue cancellations, financial shortfalls, community conflicts—board members address them quickly and quietly.
Volunteer Coordination: Recruiting, supporting, and recognizing the many volunteers who make PASOR programs possible.
Donor Relations: Cultivating relationships with supporters, ensuring appropriate recognition, and maintaining trust through transparency.
Continuous Improvement: Evaluating what worked and what didn't, then implementing improvements for next time.
Challenges of Leadership
Board service isn't without challenges:
Time Demands: Balancing board responsibilities with career and family requires careful time management and family support.
Difficult Decisions: Not every decision pleases everyone. Board members must make judgment calls that sometimes disappoint community members.
Volunteer Management: Motivating and coordinating volunteers requires patience and diplomacy.
Community Expectations: Community members sometimes have unrealistic expectations about what volunteer leaders can accomplish.
Despite these challenges, board members consistently report that service is deeply rewarding.
Board Development
PASOR invests in board effectiveness through:
Orientation: New board members receive thorough orientation to organizational history, policies, and expectations.
Succession Planning: Current board members identify and mentor potential future leaders, ensuring continuity.
Training: Board members develop skills in nonprofit governance, financial oversight, and organizational leadership.
Evaluation: Regular assessment helps the board function effectively and address any issues promptly.
How Board Members Are Selected
PASOR's board selection process balances continuity with fresh perspectives:
- Nominations come from current board members and the general membership
- Candidates are evaluated for commitment, skills, and alignment with PASOR's values
- The board votes on new members, typically seeking consensus
- Terms are staggered to maintain institutional knowledge while allowing regular refreshment
Your Path to Leadership
Today's board members started as regular PASOR participants. If leadership appeals to you, the path begins with involvement:
- Attend events and get to know the community
- Volunteer for committees and specific initiatives
- Take on increasing responsibility over time
- Demonstrate commitment, competence, and alignment with PASOR's mission
- Express interest in board service when you're ready
Learn about how to get involved with PASOR this year as a first step on your leadership journey.
Gratitude for Service
The Pakistani American community of Rochester owes deep gratitude to current and past board members. Their sacrifice of time and energy has built an organization that serves our community effectively.
If you've benefited from PASOR—found friends, accessed resources, enjoyed events—thank a board member when you see them. Better yet, consider how you might contribute to PASOR's future.
The member stories we share wouldn't exist without dedicated leaders working behind the scenes. Their service makes our community's flourishing possible.