This year’s election will see President, Vice President and Secretary/Treasurer return to the ballot, and two open board seats
Our Society is growing once again. Over the past year, SND’s membership has grown by more than 50% (the first significant increase in over a decade), revenue is rising, and we saw a return to in-person competition judging and the Annual Workshop. And, thanks to AI, new innovations and rapidly changing reader habits, we find ourselves in the beginning of an industry-changing era. SND is tackling it head on.
That’s where you come in. We need you. We need makers, innovative thinkers, leaders, creators, connectors, motivators and people dedicated to making a difference in our industry and the many professions within it. No one person is all of those things, and you don’t need to be either to become a leader within SND. Just one of those labels will do – whether you’re an innovator, or just someone who cares about naturing our society and work.
It would be impossible for me to count the number of people over the past two years who’ve said to me, or a fellow board member, “I’d really love to get more involved in SND.” And, a few of those people have become fantastically-dedicated members working on one of our many committees. So, whether the competition is your jam, you love the Workshop, you’re a seasoned committee member who wants to make a bigger impact, or you’ve flirted with the idea of volunteering, but have been waiting for the right moment – now is your time.
In this fall’s Society for News Design’s election, SND will return to electing officers: President, Vice President and Secretary/Treasurer. Members will also vote to fill at least two directors roles (if any current board members run for officer positions and win, more director seats would open up). Here’s what will be on the ballot:
• President
• Vice President
• Secretary/Treasurer
• Director (at least 2 open seats)
All roles have 2-year terms. Presidents serve a third year in an advisory, ex-officio seat as Past-President. You can run for any position, even if you’ve never joined the board before. When your term is up, it’s up to you to choose whether to run again or not – SND’s “leadership ladder” is a thing of the past.
We have an incredible slate of projects and initiatives in the works. Honestly, I’m kind of giddy thinking about how much fun and rewarding it’s going to be to work on these things over the next year. You can be a part of it too.
Below, you’ll find more details about SND’s Board. And, if you’re not quite ready to commit to running for office, we have so many other you can get involved with SND. Our Society runs on volunteers, and we’re always looking for collaborators.
If you’re interested in running, just fill out this form and we’ll contact you. The only requirement is you must be a member in good standing of SND (you can join today at our new rate!). If you have questions, or want to chat about SND’s Board, feel free to reach out to me at president@snd.org, or to any of other Board members. We’d be happy to talk.
Thanks for reading,
Ryan Hildebrandt
President of the Society for News Design Board of Directors
About SND’s Board of Directors
The Board of Directors consists of seven (7) members. Three (3) of these are the Officers of the Board-President, Vice President and Secretary/Treasurer. Four members are board members serving 2-year terms each. The eighth member of the board is the immediate Past President.
As you consider your interest and potential positive impact on the new board, there are many strategic initiatives in progress that new Board of Directors members will be involved in. Over the next term, the Board will continue building on a slate of topics and goals to strengthen and grow the Society, and improve visual storytelling across our industry. Key topics will include:
- Evolving our Society
- Membership growth and outreach
- Making SND a go-to destination for expertise, industry trends and inspiration
- Events and training
- Recruitment and volunteers
- Growing competitions
- New revenue opportunities
Other areas of opportunity for future board members: expanding our membership pool, plotting a course for reporting/celebrating/highlighting/archiving annual results, growing our digital platforms, and increasing our day-to-day engagement. And, of course, the Board also is excited to hear fresh ideas and perspectives from newly-elected members.
Time commitment: Directors spend an average of 2 to 5 hours a week dedicated to SND, depending on the projects you choose to take on.
Who can run? All members in good standing as of the date specified in the yearly election notice are eligible to apply for the Board of Directors.
Who can vote? All members in good standing as of the date specified in the yearly election notice are eligible to vote in the election
Timing
- September 1 – Board nominations are open to eligible SND members
- September 20 (Wednesday) – Candidate applications due
- September 27 (Wednesday) – Introductions to SND membership. Bios and position statements are published on snd.org in advance of the session.
- October 4 (Wednesday) – Scheduled full membership session with all candidates. Each will be invited to give a 5-minute presentation on their merits and vision for the Society, then join in a moderated panel discussion and Q-A with members.
- October 6: – Voting opens
- October 20: – Voting closes
- October 23: – Results announced
- October 27: – New board members join the current board. The official board terms begin January 1, 2024. We use the final weeks of 2023 to onboard new board members.