The Sierra Club is looking for passionate Club members who want to take on the exciting and challenging role of being a member of the Board of Directors. Our Directors set the priorities, policies, and national budget (with Club member input) that enable Club volunteers and staff to protect our environment and build programs and campaigns that expand our influence. We face many challenges sustaining and improving the quality of life on this planet.
Each Director experiences the rewards and satisfaction of being a part of the team leading the most influential grassroots environmental organization in the country. We need strategic thinking and creative solutions to maximize our reach at the grassroots level even as we empower our chapters and groups to be proficient locally and the Club to be more effective nationally and globally. We can accomplish this by encouraging collaboration across all levels of the Club.
Call for Nominations — Board of Directors 2012
The Sierra Club is seeking leaders to run for the Board of Directors in the 2012 national Sierra Club election. The Sierra Club is committed to seeking a diverse pool of candidates that is inclusive of geography, race, urban and rural interests, gender and age. All interested Club members are encouraged to apply.
Applicants interested in serving should be:
- dedicated to the purposes and goals of the Sierra Club,
- able and willing to accept the legal and fiduciary responsibilities of a Director,
- able to think strategically, politically, and creatively,
- possess the ability to think analytically about a range of environmental issues,
- familiar with the structure and culture of the Club, and
- able and willing to commit at least 5 hours per week to Board duties, plus in-person meetings.
The Sierra Club Board is a working board. All members are expected to devote sufficient time and energy to the tasks at hand. All Directors are expected to:
- prepare for and attend four or more multi-day Board meetings each year,
- prepare to participate in Board monthly conference calls and additional calls
- dedicate sufficient time for learning about the complex issues before the Board,
- communicate regularly via e-mail,
- participate in other meetings and events on behalf of the Board or the Club,
- actively serve on one or more of the Club’s committees or task forces, including preparation for and regular attendance at meetings and conference calls, and
- serve as an ambassador for the organization.
The Board of Directors is comprised of 15 elected volunteers, and has the legal responsibility and authority to oversee all staff and volunteer activities of the Sierra Club, to establish the Club’s conservation priorities, internal policies, and to develop and implement a multi-million dollar budget.
The Sierra Club’s current budget is over $85 million and includes a staff of nearly 600.
Each Director is elected for a term of three years. A Director may serve an unlimited number of terms, providing that a minimum one-year absence from the Board occurs after any two consecutive full three-year term. Board members receive reimbursement for travel and lodging, and can claim a per diem of $30 per day during Board meetings and while on Club business.
Applications Process
All candidates are required to have been Sierra Club members continuously for one year prior to the close of nominations on January 11, 2012. An excerpt of election rules is available or see the entire Bylaws & Standing Rules. We will interview candidates by phone, teleconference, or in-person during the September 22-24, 2011, Board meeting. Other interview dates may follow. You may contact any member of the Nominating Committee for a copy of the candidate application, which is also included at the end of this document, or you may download the candidate application.
Please email the completed application by July 15, 2011 to Juliana Williams at julianamwilliams.sc@gmail.com
Nominating Committee 2011-2012
Jill Workman, Chair (2010-2012)
(503) 421-3635 (m)
Happy Valley, OR
workmanjm@aol.com
Rebecca Falkenberry (2011-2014)
(727) 954-8252
St. Petersburg, Fl
rebeccaf@brownelltravel.com
Barbara Frank (2011-2014)
(608) 788-3914 (h)
LaCrosse, WI
bdfrank@centurytel.net
Patrick Murphy (2011-2014)
(312) 213-2824
Chicago, IL
(South Bend, IN beginning July 2011)
patrickmurphy@u.northwestern.edu
Tom Neff (2010 – 2013)
(770) 565-3869 (h)
Marietta, GA
tsneff2003@yahoo.com
Marilyn Wall (2010–2013)
(513) 226-9235 (m)
Cincinnati, OH
marilyn.wall@env-comm.org
Juliana Williams (2010–2012)
(425) 274-5877 (m)
Salt Lake City UT
julianamwilliams.sc@gmail.com
Candidate Application
Members wishing to be considered by the Nominating Committee as candidates for the Sierra Club Board of Directors 2012 election must complete the following application documents.
You are required to present a written statement to the Nominating Committee. This statement must not exceed two pages, must use a 12 pt. font, and must answer the following four questions:
- Why do you want to serve on the Sierra Club Board?
- What skills and accomplishments do you have that prepare you to serve on the Sierra Club Board?
- What are the most important challenges facing the Sierra Club and how can they be resolved?
- What are the most important environmental challenges facing the planet? How should the Board address them?
You must also submit a personal resume of not more than two pages which lists:
1. Your personal contact information:
Name
Address
E-mail address
Telephone
2. Education
3. Brief employment history
4. Sierra Club engagement and accomplishments
5. Leadership roles (Sierra Club and other)
6. Three references, at least one of them from a Sierra Club source (include contact information).
7. The year you joined the Sierra Club and your membership number
These documents are to be submitted electronically no later than July 15, 2011 to Juliana Williams, julianamwilliams.sc@gmail.com.
Questions or comments should be referred to any Nominating Committee member.
Being a member of the Sierra Club Board of Directors was a very rewarding experience for me. One area I was able to initiate was the Climate Recovery Campaign, which is now the Club major fundraising initiative for fighting Climate Change and protecting habitat and communities.
As a Director, I was also able to launch efforts to create the Activist Network, which is both an online tool and a community of Club activists who work on local, national and regional issues. I'm continuing to work on the Activist Network, now that I'm off the Board and continue to expand the online capabilities and increase opportunities for Sierra Club members to find each other and find people outside the Club who are interested in our issues.
I encourage people to consider applying and also looking into the Board Advisory Committees to learn more about what the Board does and how you make a big difference in the effectiveness of the Club.
Posted by: Marilyn Wall | June 17, 2011 at 07:45 AM