Nominations Are Sought for Two Members-at-Large
on the 2025 APA Board of Directors

The Needs Assessment, Slating and Campaigns Committee (NASCC) is issuing this call for nominations for two Member-at-Large positions that will serve simultaneously on the American Psychological Association (APA) and the APA Services Inc. (APASI) Boards of Directors. NASCC aims to maintain a balanced Board of Directors that reflects the demographic and disciplinary diversity of the APA/APASI membership. NASCC conducted a comprehensive needs assessment that included a review of the 2024 Board of Directors' composition, input from boards and committees of APA/APASI, and an assessment of the organizational priorities of APA/APASI. Below, we provide lists of both specific and general areas of expertise we are seeking in nominees. The ideal candidate for the Board meets the general qualities and at least one of the specific areas of expertise. NASCC commits to a holistic assessment of the pool of Board candidates and the present composition of the Board to ensure a future Board composition that maximizes experience, representativeness, and commitment to the vision and mission of the Association.

The term of service for all positions is January 1, 2025, through December 31, 2027. 

Desired Specific Qualities for Member-at Large Nominees:

In addition to the general qualities listed below, nominees for this round will enhance the range of experience of the Board if they have expertise in one or more of the following areas:

• Basic Psychological Science
• Applied Psychological Science
• Technology, including but not limited to Artificial Intelligence
• Population Health
• Application of Psychological Science to Political Decision-Making Both Home and Abroad
• Reproductive health
• Aging 

NASCC intends for one of the two election slates to be designated for candidates with expertise in Basic Psychological Science.

Desired General Qualities for Nominees:

Experience. APA/APASI Board Members should have the relevant professional experience and commitment to serve on the Board of Directors of a major national nonprofit scientific association and its companion professional organization. Board members have the authority and responsibility of decision-making for budget and financial matters and must carry legal and fiduciary responsibility for APA/APASI. Board members are expected to have a doctorate in psychology along with significant contributions to the field of psychology or the public interest through high-level scientific research and scholarship; the application of psychology in healthcare, education, government, industry, or the nonprofit sector; entrepreneurship or business leadership in fields that involve public health or the psychological sciences; and/or demonstrated an active commitment to advocacy for positive social change, consistent with their career stage (i.e., early, mid, senior, late senior). Board Members must have knowledge, skills, and experience that advance the work of the APA/APASI Boards. Their presence on the Boards should demonstrate to the public that a high level of expertise, knowledge, and success is required to lead in psychology at the national level. NASCC will prioritize the identification of Board candidates who exemplify these characteristics.

Representativeness. As a whole, the composition of the APA/APASI Boards of Directors should represent the diversity of the APA/APASI membership, the diversity of the nation, and the present needs of the Association. Areas of diverse representation may include but are not limited to, race and ethnicity, gender and sexuality, socioeconomic status and background, disability, age and career stage, culture and religion, educational background, domains of professional or scientific practice, and specific areas of expertise. Taken together, the composition of the APA/APASI Boards will highlight the Associations’ commitment to diversity, equity, and belonging. Importantly, no single member of the Board will be responsible for representing any one community of interest, nor will every iteration of the Board be able to include representatives from all communities of interest inside and outside of the Association in light of the size of the Board relative to the diverse breadth of the membership and the nation. Additionally, needs of representation may change in light of shifting membership demographics, a changing nation, and emergent needs of the Association. NASCC will prioritize the identification of Board candidates who fill historical and emergent gaps in representation of the membership and the nation.

Understanding of the Board and the Association. Board Members should understand their responsibilities as leaders within APA and APASI and the structure, function, and operation of the Board.  The APA Board of Directors is the administrative agent of the Council of Representatives, overseeing the work of the Chief Executive Officer of APA and the affairs of the APA. The APA Board of Directors has the authority for decision-making related to budget and financial matters. Service on the APA Board carries with it a requirement of loyalty and fidelity to APA, as well as the responsibility to govern the institution’s affairs honestly and economically, exercising the best care, skill, and judgment for the benefit of APA. Members of the APA Board must demonstrate a robust understanding of the mission, vision, and strategic plan of APA, and evidence commitment to furthering the mission, vision, and strategic plan through their service on the APA Board. Additionally, members of the Board must understand the structure, function, and operation of the Board. Board Members should also understand their responsibilities as leaders within APASI, APA’s companion professional organization. The purpose of APASI is to promote the mutual professional, scientific, and training interests of psychologists including advancing psychology’s roles and interests in understanding behavior and advancing health, science, education, and human welfare. This professional organization is able to support activities that APA cannot as a nonprofit scientific organization, such as lobbying, supporting a political action committee (PAC), and other professional advocacy. APASI advocates with legislators and other policy makers, health insurers and other purchasers of services, and helps members with their professional needs.

NASCC will prioritize the identification of Board candidates who demonstrate a strong commitment to the mission, vision, and strategic plan of both Associations, as well as an appropriate understanding of the roles and responsibilities inherent to service on the Boards.

Responsibilities

The Board of Directors is responsible for approving the annual APA/APASI budgets, exercising general supervision over the policies and affairs of APA and APASI, and overseeing the work of the Chief Executive Officer.

The Board currently has six meetings a year as follows: half-day hybrid meetings in February and August (held in conjunction with the Council of Representatives meetings); two-day hybrid meetings in January and December; virtual two-day meetings in June and October.

In addition to the Board meetings above, Board members are expected to attend the hybrid February and August Council meetings, the hybrid Spring board and committee meetings and may need to attend additional meetings depending on their Board liaison roles. Board members are also invited to attend the annual in-person Practice and State Leadership Conference and the in-person biennial National Multicultural Conference & Summit.

The Board generally holds two calls per month and Board members are expected to regularly check email correspondence. In addition to the above-mentioned meetings, the typical workload for the Board members-at-large is about two hours per week, except when the workload is heavier in the weeks leading up to the two Council meetings each year and during other periods with exceptional organizational demands. At times, the Board’s workload may be heavy, with considerable reading material, additional conference/video calls and significant email correspondence.

Honoraria

Honoraria for Board members are approved by the Finance Committee every three years. The Member-at-Large positions on the Board currently have an annual honorarium of $16,500.

How to Apply

Please visit the APA Call for Nominations page: https://nomination.apa.org/

Individuals who self-nominate should provide the following materials:

     1. Brief statement of no more than 300 words detailing qualifications. Please feel free to include 
         information on any professional or personal diversity you believe you would bring to the Board.

     2. Current curriculum vitae.

Individuals who are nominating someone else:

    o Please include the full name and email address for that individual

Each Member-at-Large candidate must be a Member of the Association. Nominees’ materials will be reviewed by NASCC. Semi-finalists will be interviewed virtually by NASCC members in late May*. NASCC will develop slates of at least two candidates for each position by the last week of June. Final candidates will be announced by mid-July. The two Members-at-Large will be elected by the APA Membership. Deadline to submit a nomination is April 29, 2024.

If you have any questions, please contact Abby Green at agreen@apa.org.


*As part of the selection process, prospective candidates for the Board of Directors, upon being slated, will be asked to identify and report to the Election Committee any instance within the last ten years in which the member: (1) has been the subject of an adjudicated finding or resolution by settlement of: a) malpractice; b) unethical or unprofessional conduct resulting in a sanction by a voluntary professional organization, academic institution, state licensure board, or other governmental body; or (2) is currently the subject of a criminal indictment, civil complaint of malpractice, or formal complaint of unethical or unprofessional conduct by a voluntary professional organization, academic institution, state licensure board, or other governmental body. The Election Committee will determine whether the prospective candidate can remain on the slate. The decision of the Election Committee can be appealed to the Board of Directors.