Dear Fellow Members,
As Immediate Past President, my responsibilities include chairing the Nominating Committee. This committee solicits and evaluates nominees for Board Officer and Director positions and offers recommendations to the Board for a slate of candidates who will appear on the ballot during the annual Board elections. The Nominating Committee is comprised of both sitting and past Board members who are familiar with Officer and Director roles and responsibilities.
The Nominating Committee has been quite busy this year. In past years, the committee met only once a year, to review nominations and approve a slate of candidates to present to the Board for final approval. Effective this year, the committee is meeting four times a year, with the following responsibilities:
Meeting 1: Preparation for outreach to potential candidates at Annual Conference
Meeting 2: Preparation for annual Board Interest Meeting
Meeting 3: Review/finalize slate of candidates for Board consideration
Meeting 4: Review/revise nominations process for next cycle
Because this is our first year meeting more than once, the committee has spent appreciable time playing ‘catch up’, undertaking ‘Meeting 4’ work to review and revise the nominations process in preparation for this year’s election cycle. This has included overhauling the Nominator and Nominated Candidate forms, as well as working to revise the review rubric for nominated candidates to align with the changes to these forms.
As of now, the Nominating Committee has met twice, which means we will have two more meetings this year. Before our next meeting in October, the nominations period will occur during the month of September.
Interested in ‘throwing your hat in the ring’ as a candidate? We are looking for both a President-Elect and additional Directors:
President-Elect: Term of office is one (1) year, commencing January 1, 2027, followed by a one-year term as President, and concluding with a one-year term as Immediate Past President. The progression through all these roles is three (3) years in length, ending December 31, 2029. In order to take up the office of President-Elect, a minimum of one (1) year service on the Board is a prerequisite.
Director (multiple openings): Term of office is three (3) years, commencing January 1, 2027, and ending December 31, 2029. Directors may be elected to serve for two (2) consecutive terms.
Requirements for Candidacy
- Active Membership: Current members of ISSTD who have sustained membership for at least the past three (3) consecutive years.
- Good Standing: Nominees must be in good standing with ISSTD, meaning that they are 1) currently free of active Code of Conduct complaints or related consequences that would prevent candidacy and 2) not currently under investigation or sanctioned by their professional accrediting body.
- Demonstrated Volunteerism: Candidates should exhibit a proven track record of volunteerism within ISSTD, evidenced by participation in SIGs/ROCs/Committees, presentations, and engagement in small projects.
- Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Accessibility (IDEA): ISSTD seeks to have a Board that represents the diversity of the ISSTD Membership as a whole, as it relates to age, gender, gender identity, race, ethnicity, culture, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, disability, language, and socioeconomic status, geographic location, license/registration type and career stage. By extension, commitment to the values reflected in ISSTD’s IDEA Statement is integral.
- Demonstrated Teamwork: Prospective nominees should be able to work as part of a team, build consensus, work well with others and accept constructive feedback from other team members.
- Current Board Alignment: The Nominating Committee uses its discretion and dialogue with the broader organization to determine the present needs of the Board. The Nominating Committee will seek to identify nominees with skills most aligned with the current needs of the organization.
- Non-Profit Leadership Experience: Preference is given to candidates with previous experience in leadership roles within non-profit organizations, as this experience provides valuable insights and skills beneficial to ISSTD’s governance and strategic planning.
Commitments for Board Members
- Attend the in person Board of Directors meeting that takes place at the ISSTD Annual Conference each year of their term. The next in-person Board Meeting is scheduled to take place on Wednesday, March 3, 2027, in Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
- Attend virtual Board of Directors meetings on a monthly basis, with meetings currently taking place on Saturdays at 3:00pm or 4:00pm US Eastern time (depending on semi-annual time changes).
- Attend virtual meetings for committees, task forces, and working groups, as applicable, which typically are scheduled between 9:00am and 6:00pm US Eastern time.
- Become familiar with current ISSTD matters before attending the Board of Directors meeting at the ISSTD Annual Conference. General Orientation and Finance Orientation dates will be announced post-election and will take place prior to the first Board meeting in January 2027.
- Ensure email access that will allow active, timely participation in the ongoing business of the Board of Directors.
A full description of Board Directors’ Roles and Responsibilities may be accessed HERE.
Again, the nominations period will be open during the month of September, so keep your eyes open for an announcement from ISSTD headquarters very soon.
Thanks for reading!