TIFU by forgetting to add a board member to a board committee meeting

For context: I have been an executive assistant for C-suite in non-profits for the past 3 years. In January 2026, I started a new role in a new non-profit, going from supporting a Chief Development Officer to the CEO.

While I supported the CDO, I never really did anything with the Board Members, aside from scheduling meetings and making sure that materials were ready. So really, on the matrix of skills, board management is relatively new to me. But because of the job market, I claimed that I did manage the Development Committee--and I made sure to be clear that it was just that one committee.

In my new organization, as the CEO's EA, I am managing all of them. For the past almost-two months, it hasn't been too much work. However, today I fucked up. I forgot to add a Board Member to a specific committee. And this is the first big mistake I made, really. While there were some other scheduling issues, my executive and I both know that it was run-of-the-mill finding the rapport and the groove between a new executive and their EA. But with the board member mishap, I feel so bad and anxious because it was truly my fuck up. I had access to all the board member and committee trackers, I was even updating the committee chart for 2026 for new board member orientation materials.

I have admitted fault, almost immedietely once I was asked why this board member was a no-show, and made sure that they were on all invites for the rest of the year, but I really am afraid that this is going to be a huge mark against me and a set-back in my relationship with my executive. Ugh. Aside from that, is there anything else I can do? Say?

Posted Feb 25, 2026, 9:02 PM UTC

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