Board Elections & Nominations

2025 Board Nominations & Election Timeline

2024 Board Nominations

Thank you to everyone who voted in our 2024 board election and bylaws vote. Voting is now closed.

Congratulations to our winners!

𝐕𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐏𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐭: Kim McVeigh, OTR/L, CHT, MBA, FACHE

𝐒𝐞𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐲/𝐓𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐮𝐫𝐞𝐫-𝐄𝐥𝐞𝐜𝐭: Rob McClellan, OTR/L, CHT, COMT-UL

𝐁𝐨𝐚𝐫𝐝 𝐌𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫-𝐚𝐭-𝐋𝐚𝐫𝐠𝐞: Phyllis Ross, OTD, OTR/L, CHT, CLT, CAPS

Both proposed bylaws revisions passed.

Position Terms

Unless otherwise stated, the term of office for the Board of Directors and all ASHT divisions/committees/volunteer officers begins at the Annual Business Meeting held during the society’s Annual Meeting and terminates at the Annual Business Meeting held at the society’s Annual Meeting in the year in which the term ends, or if no successor has been elected, until a successor is elected and installed.

Vice President

(4-year commitment, serving a one-year term in each of the following positions: Vice President, President-Elect, President, Immediate Past President).

Serves on the Executive Committee; understudies the President-Elect; manages special assignments as requested by the President; serves as a non-voting member of the Finance Committee.

Secretary/Treasurer-Elect

(2-year term, serving one year as Secretary/Treasurer-Elect and one year as Secretary/Treasurer).

Supports and understudies the Secretary/Treasurer. The Secretary/Treasurer oversees the records of the Board, including meeting minutes, and any historical documents; chairs the Finance Committee; and oversees the financial records of ASHT, ensuring the board receives good reports of ASHT's financial condition. The Secretary/Treasurer-Elect should have an Interest in finance, with special consideration given to those with financial experience.

Board-Member-at-Large

(2-year term, serving one year as “junior” BMAL and one year as “senior” BMAL)

Serves as a liaison between the board and membership, responds to member inquiries, participates in monthly board conference calls, may write ASHT Times articles and other member correspondence and fulfills assignments requested by the President or Board of Directors.

Officer Qualifications & Competencies

All of the nominees for Vice President shall have served as an elected officer or appointed division director.

The Vice President and Secretary/Treasurer-Elect must have been Active members of ASHT for at least three (3) consecutive years immediately prior to the election in question. 

Board Members-at-Large candidates must have been Active or Associate members of ASHT for at least three (3) consecutive years immediately prior to the election in question.

In order to promote diversity within ASHT leadership, candidates for board services are encouraged to hold only one advanced leadership position at a time. Advanced leadership positions include, but are not limited to: voting board member, Annual Meeting Chair, ASHT Times Editor and committee chair (International, Technology & Communication, Awards, Diversity Equity & Inclusion, Leadership Development). Individuals seeking additional/multiple positions in leadership will be reviewed by the Nominations Committee on a case-by-case basis.

In the circumstance where the board has made a concerted effort to recruit qualified candidates and none meet the minimum qualifications, it will reserve the right to define exceptions where candidates are determined to be competent in absence of the usual minimum qualifications. No such candidates will be put forward where qualified candidates exist.

Email access is a requirement for accepting a nomination for a board position. Board members are expected to check and respond to board-related email promptly, preferably every one to two days.

What is ASHT Seeking in Board Candidates?

• History of volunteering in some capacity with ASHT
• Holds/has held leadership role in organization or clinic
• Competent communication, including telecommunication savvy
• Computer skills (spreadsheets, online documents, website, etc.)
• Flexible, collaborative
• Forward-thinking, innovative
• Knowledge of current practice trends, e.g. legislation, reimbursement, evidence-based practice
• Member of parent organization
• Willing to support ASHT financially
• Available to serve given time commitment requirements (listed below)
• Has no serious conflict of interest with ASHT
• Ambassador to the organization, willing to promote and support ASHT to members and public
• Appropriate skill set
• Engaged in profession

President (President-Elect, Vice President, Immediate Past President)

• Previous experience in leadership and empowerment
• Ability to listen and guide communication
• Ability to delegate and maintain/manage projects
• Timely and responsive communicator
• Patient
• Ability to compromise
• Ability to see all sides of an idea or discussion
• Comfortable speaking to an audience, experience giving lectures
• Available time to serve
• Act as the face of ASHT in public platform, comfortable talking to people; willing to form positive, effective working partnership with executive director
• Willing to travel

Secretary/Treasurer (Secretary/Treasurer-Elect)

• Interest in finance, with special consideration given to those with financial experience e.g. MBA, owning/operating business, managing the financial side of a practice/company
• Demonstrate ability to understand financial spreadsheets, budget proposal and long-term investments
• Leadership experience

Board Member-at-Large

• Active, interested in growth of ASHT
• Well-connected to the hand and upper extremity therapy community
• May be interested in pursuing future board leadership positions

Campaigning

ASHT does not permit any nebulous campaigning to individual members including, but not limited to, written materials, email, phone, fax, websites or other forms of solicitation. All candidates will have the opportunity to record a position statement video through ASHT staff. Candidates are permitted to share these videos and/or ASHT's posts related to the election to promote voter engagement. If a nominee is found to have disregarded the rules on solicitation, their actions in violation of the aforementioned rules will be reported to the membership prior to the vote being taken.

Candidate Position Statements

Candidates will be given equal visibility. A profile photo, biography, position statement and responses to open-ended application questions will be posted on the election site. A link to the aforementioned position statement video will also be included. The content, length and publication of the information will be determined by the Nominations Committee.

Roles and Responsibilities of Board Officers

Officers of the board include the President, President-Elect, Vice-President, Secretary/Treasurer, Secretary/Treasurer-Elect, two Board Members-at-Large and the Immediate Past President. These positions are elected by the voting membership. The board also includes three division directors: Education, Practice, Research. These positions are appointed by the board.

To support the goal of 100% board member participation in fundraising, all board members are required to donate to the ASHT Vision Fund with a suggested minimum amount of $100 per year.

The President of the board will collaborate with the executive director to prepare board meeting agendas, preside at board meetings, sign official documents requiring signature and may represent the board in public and official capacities as instructed by the board. The president will also:

• chair the Executive Committee
• act as liaison between board and executive director
• act as a liaison with related organizations (including IFSHT delegate if serving at the time of its triennial congress)
• encourage the board to do long-range planning
• assist board members to build their board skills
• serve as a non-voting member of the Finance Committee
• act to discipline board members who violate ethical standards of the board
• encourage all board members to participate in board activities
• ensure that all board members' views are represented in board meetings
• serve as primary spokesperson for the society
• contribute to the ASHT Vision Fund (see above)
• participate in 3-5 monthly conference calls

Time commitment: 15-20 hours per month

The President-Elect will preside at board meetings in the absence of the President and assume the office of the President when the board determines that the President can no longer serve (per the bylaws). The President-Elect will also:

• serve on the Executive Committee
• work with the President to be prepared to assume that office if necessary
• manage special assignments as requested by the President
• serve as a non-voting member of the Finance Committee
• contribute to the ASHT Vision Fund (see above)
• participate in 3-5 monthly conference calls

Time commitment: 15-20 hours per month

The Vice President will assume the office of President-Elect when the board determines the President-Elect can no longer serve (per the bylaws). The Vice President will also:

• serve on the Executive Committee
• work with the President Elect to be prepared to assume that office if necessary
• manage special assignments as requested by the board President
• serve as a non-voting member of the Finance Committee
• contribute to the ASHT Vision Fund (see above)
• participate in 3-5 monthly conference calls

Time commitment: 15-20 hours per month

The Secretary/Treasurer will oversee but not manage the financial records of ASHT, and ensure that the board regularly receives good reports of the financial condition of ASHT. The Secretary/Treasurer will also oversee the records of the board, including meeting minutes and any historical documents. When required, the Secretary/Treasurer will also sign notes, contracts and other official agreements on behalf of ASHT and at the direction of the board. The Secretary/Treasurer will also:

• ensure that all official documents are safely passed to the next Secretary/Treasurer
• research ASHT records when necessary for information for the board
• assist the board to understand the annual budget before approval
• ensure that the board arranges for an annual audit of the ASHT books
• train the Secretary/Treasurer-Elect
• chair the Finance Committee
• keep the only minutes during executive session and ensure these are stored in a sealed envelope with other minute documents
• contribute to the ASHT Vision Fund (see above)
• participate in 2-3 monthly conference calls

Time commitment: 10-15 hours per month

The Secretary/Treasurer-Elect will support the Secretary/Treasurer in the above functions. Supports and understudies the Secretary/Treasurer, participates in 2-3 monthly conference calls and contributes to the ASHT Vision Fund (see above)

Time commitment: 10-15 hours per month

The Immediate Past President will be available to the president for counsel if needed and when appropriate and will serve as chair of the Nominations Committee. Participates in monthly conference calls. This person also contributes to the ASHT Vision Fund (see above).

Time commitment: 10-15 hours per month (plus any special projects)

The Board-Members-at-Large will responds to member inquiries, participate in monthly board conference calls, may write ASHT Times articles and other member correspondence and fulfills assignments requested by the President or Board of Directors.

Time commitment: 5-10 hours per month, with flexibility based on projects

Officer Authority

Only properly elected or appointed members of the Board may serve as officers of the board. Officers of the board are elected to be servant-leaders of the board. All authority of the officers is delegated to them by the board. No officers will have any authority to speak or act on behalf of the board other than that authority specifically granted in the ASHT bylaws, in board policy or by majority vote of the Board of Directors.