Third Place Commons Executive Director Amy Whittenburg will step away from her role at the end of June 2024

Third Place Commons
Executive Director Amy Whittenburg

Third Place Commons Executive Director Amy Whittenburg has announced her plans to step away from her role at the end of June 2024.

“It has been my great privilege and joy to serve as the Executive Director of Third Place Commons,” Amy says. “This is indeed a vibrant, welcoming community, and I have cherished my time working to ensure it remained so over the years.”

After eight years in her role, Amy notes that her decision was a difficult one due to her love for the community of friends and neighbors who make up our Commons community and her continuing dedication to the organization.

“I am proud of how much we’ve accomplished over the years, not least of which is remaining a strong, thriving nonprofit organization even through the leanest years of the pandemic. And to see our community returning in force – both to our hundreds of free events and to the beautiful Lake Forest Park Farmers Market – is deeply gratifying.”

Nonetheless, Amy has decided that the time has come for her to pursue her first passion. A lifelong writer, she will be stepping away to focus her energies on writing and publishing a series of novels she has planned. She is currently working on book two in the series. However, Third Place Commons will remain close to her heart.

“Amy has led this organization in many exceptional ways over the past eight years and we are tremendously grateful for her capable and skilled leadership,” comments Silje Sodal, Chair of the Third Place Commons Board of Directors.

Over the coming months, Amy will work closely with the organization’s board in the search for her successor while laying the careful groundwork for the smoothest possible transition for the organization.

“We are so appreciative of Amy’s gracious and generous offer to work with the Board as we begin the process of finding a new Executive Director. Additionally, we are excited for Amy in this next chapter in her life of pursuing her passion in writing,” Silje adds. 

“If the pandemic taught us anything, it is that life is short and we must prioritize those things that fill our soul. So we certainly wish Amy well in this exciting next step, even though we will miss her enormously!”

The Third Place Commons Board of Directors is currently developing a timeline and plan for the search process, and the position is expected to be posted in the next month. Additional details will be posted on the Third Place Commons website as they become available.