About

ELECTIONS & VOTING

Elections

In order for AAOHN to be successful, we must get highly qualified, engaged, skilled, enthusiastic people to serve on our board. The need for a board that embodies these qualities and characteristics is imperative to AAOHN’s continued success, growth, and development. While fairly encompassing, these attributes are not the sole consideration that the Leadership Succession Committee utilizes when seeking candidates for election to the Board of Directors:

  • Dedication to the values, mission, and vision of the organization
  • Courtesy, honesty, and integrity
  • Candid dialogue
  • Behaving as a team player and participating in the group that is the board
  • Expressing individual opinions and perspective balanced with supporting group decisions
  • Asking difficult questions without being overzealous
  • Being comfortable with diversity and agreeing to disagree
  • Accepting that disagreement and conflict are part of doing the organization’s business well and working with colleagues to resolve differences
  • Bringing issues to the boardroom and discouraging behind-the-scenes conversation that creates divisiveness

Elections are the foundation and sign of a strong organization. It takes an active and engaged membership to ensure board representation and leadership to respond to member concerns. As such, AAOHN maintains periodic elections according to bylaws, has an active Leadership Succession Committee to assure viable candidates for all open positions on the AAOHN Board of Directors and open elections to all qualified members to maintain a strong and diverse Board.

Click here to download a copy of the AAOHN Bylaws (You must be logged in to view.)

Job Descriptions

Board of Directors
Election Committee

Nominations are Needed for the Following Positions

Director, East Region (1), Term 2024-2027

Director, West Region (1), Term 2024-2027

Director, At-Large (1), Term 2024-2027

Leadership Succession Committee (2-3), Term 2024-2026

Click here to download the Call for Nominations and nomination/consent to serve form. Deadline for nominations is September 20, 2023. All nominations should be sent to info@aaohn.org. 

Recruitment Selection

As each election year comes around, the Leadership Succession Committee will evaluate all candidates submitting appropriate applications as candidates to determine if qualified to run for the position they have applied. After which a draft slate is prepared. Seeing vacancies, the Leadership Succession Committee will begin to make calls for candidates and work regionally to fill these slate vacancies. Considerations are:

1. Diversity
Each board member brings his/her own unique perspective to AAOHN. Diversity ensures nonprofit organizations not only reflect their membership but also are able to relate and interact with others. With a diversity of experience, expertise, and perspectives a nonprofit is in a stronger position to face opportunities and challenges.

2. Board Participation and Attendance
It is important for the Leadership Succession Committee to select individuals who will be active and committed. AAOHN increasingly relies on its board, committees and project committees to accomplish governance goals and needs capable board members who not only attend board meetings but also actively serve on at least one committee. The Leadership Succession Committee is interested in candidates that can commit to the following:

  • Attendance at six (6) virtual board meetings and one (1) face-to-face board meeting
  • Participation as an active member on at least one (1) committee/project team
  • Advance preparation for regular board meetings and committee meetings
  • Advocate for the interests of AAOHN between meetings

3. Leadership, Guidance, and Vision
The landscape of business and healthcare is constantly changing. Our members must be knowledgeable about these changes in order to adapt to these changes for career growth. Business models are shifting, the role of health care policy is changing and new partnerships will arise. The AAOHN Board of today requires individuals who can share perspectives on issues and solutions related to the next generation of healthcare and business needs, looking beyond today’s marketplace. AAOHN’s Board of Directors will need to be comfortable with providing guidance and vision to promote and position AAOHN as the only professional organization for occupational health nurse leaders.

4. Image and Stature
AAOHN has grown its image and stature with other nursing organizations and in the field of occupational health substantially over the decades of existence, thanks in part to a Board of Directors willing to take on the challenges of change. To build on momentum, AAOHN’s board of directors should be positioned to use their connections and stature to promote AAOHN into opportunities to further enhance its brand awareness, including participation in executive meetings and/or forums, contributing to news stories in business and healthcare industry publications, and building partnership and collaborations as needed.

5. Funding Opportunities
AAOHN is working to diversify its revenue through a combination of strategies including membership, national conference, regional meetings, and collaborations as well as an expansive portfolio of products and services to support members. AAOHN’s board members should be well positioned to identify new funding and business opportunities for the organization and should be prepared to open doors to those opportunities. AAOHN board members should have access to decision-makers at the top of their organization and must be able and willing to position AAOHN as an entity uniquely suited to help businesses with increasingly important challenges and opportunities relevant to AAOHN’s mission.

6. Skills and Expertise
The Leadership Succession Committee will seek candidates that fill the vacancies on the board. The job descriptions provided with assist the Committee in the identification of the right individuals to serve on the Board.

Three Legal Standards for Board Members to Consider