Meredith McGriff Accepts Position as Director of Technology and Communications for the Financial Women’s Association

Join us in congratulating Meredith McGriff, AFS Director of Membership and Information Systems, who has accepted a position as Director of Technology and Communications for the Financial Women’s Association. Her last days at AFS will be in early January after the winter holidays. 

Meredith’s innovative ideas and hard work have helped AFS stretch its technological capacity. Along with other staff, she has effectively supported the back end of AFS websites, and she managed the transition to our new membership management system. Meredith also put her creative and technical expertise to work in building https://notablefolkloristsofcolor.org and https://whatisfolklore.org. Additionally, the annual meeting hub for 2021 and 2022, https://afsannualmeeting.org, where we embedded zoom access for virtual or hybrid attendees, was built by Meredith at a huge savings over hybrid system offerings currently on the market. 

AFS Executive Director Jessica A. Turner praised Meredith’s time with the organization. “With Meredith’s skills and efforts, we have been able to work toward affordable and flexible systems that allow us to support members and the field in better ways,” says Turner. “While these big projects are always undertakings of our full staff and beyond, it is Meredith who has deftly flexed her tech muscles to adapt our website and systems to meet the needs of the organization in a time of transition and innovation. Although this work continues, she leaves us in a good position to continue much of that work internally.”  

“I am so grateful for the support of the AFS staff and board, and the many members I’ve worked with,” says Meredith. “Everyone has shown such care for AFS and such thoughtfulness in our work together. I’m glad to have been able to learn from you all and collaborate on the important work that AFS does every day. I am fortunate to have incredible mentors and friends in the society and I’m grateful to be carrying those relationships forward into this new stage of my professional life.”

Meredith holds a PhD in Folklore from Indiana University. She is the author of Michiana Potters: Art, Community, and Collaboration and a co-editor of Advancing Folkloristics along with Kristina Downs and Jesse Fivecoate. 

“We will surely miss her on the AFS staff, but she’ll remain a folklorist forever,” Turner notes. “Plus, now she gets to enjoy the conference like a regular (though special!) member.” 

AFS staff will adopt a transition plan until a new position is announced and filled. Members with questions regarding membership or billing can contact [email protected].