During our PHA Forum and Annual General Meeting, which will be taking place on October 27th and 28th at the Vancouver Airport Marriott Hotel in Richmond, BC, elections for our Board of Directors will take place and it is the intention of the current board to create a Nominations Committee that will make recommendations to the membership regarding the seats that are up for election.
While we will still be taking nominations from the floor at both the Forum and the AGM, the Nominations Committee is working on developing and implementing a process that will help to:
Ensure that the Board of PAN has a full complement of Board members from every region;
Further inform PAN member organizations about the roles and responsibilities of board members;
Ensure that qualified folks end up joining the Board; and
Provide the voting membership with more opportunities to consider the qualifications of candidates in advance.
What seats are up for election at PAN’s Fall meeting?
At this time, the following seats will be open for election at our Fall 2009 meeting.
- Northern: one designated PHA seat, one open seat
- Interior: one open seat. Bob Hughes of ASK Wellness Centre, who will be completing his two-year term, has indicated he will be running for re-election as an incumbent and the Board endorses him in this.
- Fraser: one open seat & one designated PHA seat. The designated PHA seat is currently occupied by William Leigh Hein-Blackmore, of Positive Living Fraser Valley, who was appointed by the Board since last year’s AGM. William therefore will be running for election for the designated seat and the Board endorses him in this.
- Vancouver Coastal: x
- Vancouver Island: one designated PHA seat
- Provincial Health Services: one designated PHA seat. The designated PHA seat is currently occupied by Ken Buchanan, of the BC Persons with AIDS Society, who was appointed by the Board since last year’s AGM. Ken therefore will be running for election for the designated seat and the Board endorses him in this.
Therefore, the Board is actively recruiting and seeking advance applications for the following Board seats:
- Northern: one designated PHA seat, one open seat
- Fraser: one open seat
- Vancouver Island: one designated PHA seat
Are you or someone at your PAN member organization interested in running for the Board?
If you wish to be considered by the Board Nominations Committee for one of these positions, we ask the following:
- That you register for the Fall meeting as an official PAN delegate
- That you complete a Board application that may found by clicking on PAN Board Application.
- That you provide a letter of endorsement from a representative of your PAN member organization (Executive Director or Board Chair or equivalent)
- That you return these documents to the following email address – [email protected] (scanned version) by Friday, September 11th, 2009
The Nominations Committee will review all applications and will formulate their recommendations by the last week of September.
Any and all applications received by the Nominations Committee (including for the applicants already being endorsed, above – namely, Bob, Willie and Ken), will be circulated in advance of the Forum and AGM as part of the AGM notice/package that will be going out to member agencies and organizations in early October. This means that PAN member organizations will have the opportunity to review the applications/qualifications in advance of the meetings.
Will PAN still be taking nominations from the floor?
Yes, we will. However, we will still require that all PAN delegates who are nominated from the floor complete an application and provide proof of endorsement from their PAN member organization/agency.
What are the qualifications the Board is seeking in potential applicants?
- Experienced in the field of HIV/AIDS
- Ideally minimum of two years experience working in the field
- Past Committee or Board work experience
- Able to look at the “big picture” and think strategically
- Team player
What are the expectations of all Board members?
- Adhere to PAN’s Code of Conduct and Code of Ethics
- Attend monthly Board meetings (held via teleconference) – 90 minutes
- Attend (day long) in-person/face-to-face Board meetings – two times per year (typically coincides with PAN conferences)
- Committee work throughout the year: policy, governance, membership, PHA Leadership, finance, etc.
- Able to access email and reliable computer access
Being on the Board of Directors of PAN can be a deeply rewarding experience, and there has never been a more exciting time to get involved with the Network!
If you have questions regarding this process or require further information, you can reach us at via email at [email protected].
Darren Lauscher, Vice-Chair
Chris MacKenzie, Secretary
PAN Board of Directors