Every year at this time, I find myself in a state of both deep reflection and excited anticipation at the same time. I spend time reflecting on the past year’s accomplishments, challenges, and all that’s changed in just 365 days. I then shift to the question, “What do I hope the next year will bring?” Do I believe big things can and will happen? Will I wrestle with hard questions? Do I expect there to be barriers to overcome, even potentially really hard moments? Do I anticipate setting goals and putting in lots of energy that will be completely worth it? For me, the answer to all of those questions in 2026 is “Yes, and….”
I have spent a lot of the first few months in my role as CEO at Crossnore thinking about this concept. Yes, and is about holding two opposite truths at the same time and being ok in the discomfort of the paradox. It is about weighing out both sides and wrestling with the tension until the best and most perfect answer can break through.
A Year of “Yes, Ands” for Crossnore
For Crossnore, 2026 is a year of “yes and’s”. We are entering a new strategic plan where we are focusing on stabilizing, strengthening, deepening, and sustaining our work, all to live out our mission fully. It’s a mission of “yes and’s”. We want to show up to serve in the fabric of resilience, which feels comforting and stable. Yet, we also want to push against the status quo to foster change that feels courageous and gritty. We cannot do this important work without wrestling within the dichotomy. We have to look back and look forward at the same time.
Rooted in History, Responsible for the Future
For over 100 years, Crossnore has existed to serve in this paradox. Dr. Mary Martin Sloop, our Crossnore founder, starts her book, Miracle in the Hills, by saying, “From my office…here at Crossnore School, I can see the outside in two directions. I can look down or up, I can recall past days of struggle and challenge….or I can foresee…larger challenges and greater accomplishments in the years ahead.” As I now ponder that same thought from that same spot on the mountain, I am in awe at both the opportunity and responsibility I have to serve in this role, leading Crossnore into what comes next. Dr. Sloop shares, “For Crossnore, I cherish and see a long and even more accomplishing life, a continually increasing importance to the youth of our beloved mountains.” Generations of individuals she served were impacted in ways that shaped the course of their lives. A lifetime later, there is a current generation we are entrusted to serve and a future generation we are meant to fight for through advocacy and innovation.
What This Looks Like in 2026
In 2026, I am excited about seeing that same impact our staff will make across our state. We will hold kids’ hands and wipe their tears. We will high-five seniors as they walk across the stage at graduation. We will hug parents and listen to their stories. We will be creative and try new things. We will be a safe space for children on their healing journey. We will be a courageous space for community members to challenge and strengthen each other. We will build connections. We will learn. We will love. Hard times will come, and the work won’t always be easy, but we will do all of this because we believe in this great work Crossnore has been called to do for over a century.
So, the paradox lives on. We are committed to our deeply rooted mission and values while also knowing we must evolve in our systems and outcomes. My hope is that in another 100 years, a future generation will see the work Crossnore continues to do and the lasting legacy the agency continues to make for those we are meant to serve.
