Celebrating Our Progress and Building What’s Next
Celebrating Our Progress and Building What's Next
Written by Nancy Messina
Posted: September 30, 2025. This article was originally shared in our Summer 2025 Newsletter.
As we begin drafting NEHA’s next Strategic Plan—guided by the thoughtful feedback so many of you shared in our 2024 Needs Assessment—it feels like the perfect moment to pause and reflect on how far we’ve come. When our last Strategic Plan was drafted in 2020, our goal wasn’t to reinvent NEHA, but to build on the strength, dedication, and vision that already defined us—so we could stay steady and resilient, no matter what the future held. Thanks to the tireless work of our staff, the leadership of our volunteer Board of Directors, and the ongoing participation from families like yours, we’ve made some truly meaningful progress.
Unifying Our Reach: Consolidation and Regional Engagement
A pivotal outcome of our 2020 plan was the consolidation of NEHA with the Connecticut Hemophilia Society (CHS) and the Hemophilia Alliance of Maine (HAM) in 2023. This unified our community into a truly regional organization, integrating diverse voices and perspectives across New England. This broader reach has allowed us to enhance access to programs, ensuring equitable participation from rural to urban settings. Through our events and programs, we strive to connect, educate, and support every individual affected by bleeding disorders in our region.
Enhanced Governance: Reflecting Our Community
Behind the scenes, we’ve strengthened board governance by instituting formal onboarding, clarifying roles, updating bylaws, and enhancing self-assessment tools. For the first time, our board includes members from all six New England states, ensuring decisions reflect a wide range of perspectives and experiences.
Tailored Programs: Addressing Real Needs
Our program expansion has been driven by strategic direction and community input, while maintaining a more sustainable and balanced calendar to avoid burnout of our hardworking staff. Another notable achievement has been establishing a Mental Health Task Force and hiring Lissa Blanchard, LICSW, as our Mental Health consultant in 2023, who work together to integrate mental health components into our events.
Advocacy Through Visibility and Narrative
Our advocacy efforts have been enhanced by sharing personal stories and increasing our visible presence in policy arenas, as you will read later in this newsletter as we reflect on our advocacy efforts. We’ve also collaborated closely with HTC staff and regional allies to help us amplify our impact while connecting with new patients.
Securing Financial Sustainability
Our 2020 Strategic Plan propelled us to refine our fundraising strategies. We’ve broadened our sponsorship opportunities and strengthened our grant portfolio to help ensure financial stability. As industry support continues to evolve, we’ve prioritized clearer, more consistent communication with our partners to maintain strong relationships and shared impact.
Looking Ahead
Our next strategic plan will be released in 2026 and will guide us through 2030. Stay tuned for more information. If you have any questions, please contact [email protected].