Over the summer, I am inviting clergy members connected to our Westwood UMC congregation to serve as guest writers of our Pastoral Notes. This week, we are pleased to share words from Dr. Natalie Houghtby-Haddon. – Pastor Molly Vetter
Dear Westwood Family,
July 1st marked my 25th year in Extension Ministry at George Washington University. I began as a Doctoral Fellow in 2000 and became Associate Director at the Center for Excellence in Public Leadership (CEPL) the following year. In January 2025, I stepped into the role of Executive Director after our long-serving Director, Jim Robinson, retired.
CEPL was founded during D.C.’s financial crisis in the late 1990s to strengthen leadership within local government. Since then, we’ve expanded our impact, training over 6,000 public servants across D.C., nearby localities, and federal agencies.
Stepping into leadership during a period of transition, I expected challenges. But I wasn’t prepared for the sweeping disruptions that began on January 20th with the new presidential administration. Within months, we lost all federal contracts—half of our operating revenue—between March 17 and June 20. At the same time, Congress threatened a $1.1 billion cut to the D.C. government’s budget—jeopardizing the other half of our work.
It was a difficult spring—for CEPL, for me personally, and for many of the public servants we serve. Colleagues lost jobs, took early retirement, or were left in limbo. The national immigration crisis hit close to home when one of our student staff members was detained by ICE and forced to return to Peru to renew her visa.
Amid these upheavals, I spent Holy Week at St. Matthew’s UMC in Mississippi and preached for the first time in two years. It reminded me that, in addition to my administrative gifts, I am called to preach and teach. I’d been leaning heavily into administration and neglecting the other two, which left me spiritually and mentally off-balance. That week helped me re-center. I began using a finger labyrinth as a tool for breathing, grounding, and prayer. The path forward, while still uncertain, no longer felt bleak.
One scripture stayed with me during that time; Mordechai’s question to Esther: “Who knows? Perhaps you have come to [this position] for such a time as this?” After 25 years of helping others lead change, I realized it was time to apply that work to CEPL itself. My doctoral research was about helping people and communities reimagine their futures. Could I do that now—for CEPL, for our team, and for the broader public we serve? I believe the answer is yes. In fact, who better?
As I look ahead, I’m mindful that we’re living in a time of deep national division. Our social fabric is fraying, and many feel displaced or unheard. Yet we are still called—to lead, to serve, and to care for the most vulnerable among us. Mordechai’s challenge still echoes: If you keep silent at this time… relief and deliverance will arise from another place. May we all have the courage to speak, act, and lead where we are—especially in times like these.
Natalie
Dr. Natalie Houghtby-Haddon is Executive Director of the George Washington University Center for Excellence in Public Leadership (GW CEPL) and an Assistant Professor in the GW College of Professional Studies. She is an ordained elder in the United Methodist Church, having served several churches in Los Angeles and Long Beach. Her passion is fostering community and leadership development, with expertise in New Testament studies and social imagination theory. Natalie’s mission is to inspire leaders to create healthy, just, and sustainable communities. You can reach her at hsquared@gwu.edu if you have questions or comments about this Pastoral Note.
