It is with a heavy heart that we share the passing of Darla Mecham on October 8, 2020. Darla was the driving force of our finance department for 23 years.

Darla exemplified ICNL’s mission. Where other finance directors may have seen numbers, she saw the people. She knew our partners and grantees. She traveled to their countries and visited their organizations; she understood their challenges and celebrated their successes along with program staff. She was as rigorous as she was committed, and yet she found time to take care of everyone around her. She nurtured us all personally and brought joy to the office every day.

Darla joined the organization when its budget was just a few hundred thousand dollars and led its growth to over $10 million. In those 23 years, ICNL has never had an audit finding—an accomplishment for which she was justifiably proud.

Yet Darla never let her success cloud her humility. “Let’s see what happens next year,” she would say every time we were presented with a clean audit, an increase in unrestricted funds, or a major donor recognition.

Darla was a wonderful friend, mentor, and colleague. Her decency, generosity, and good cheer inspired all of us. She will be deeply missed by ICNL and our broader community. We convey our sympathies to her family and friends, and we will strive to carry on Darla’s legacy.