May 2013: Letter from the president

By Katherine Ann Rowlands, JAWS president

The JAWS board is now soliciting nominations to join the Board of Directors when the terms of six current members expire. We need women to fill the roles of vice president, deputy vice president, treasurer and at least three general board members.

Do you love JAWS? Are you excited about helping other women journalists to succeed? Has JAWS been a great source of networking, training and inspiration for you? Do you want to work with some amazing, fun and smart leaders to help JAWS grow? Then this might be a great opportunity for you to give back and contribute to the organization.

It’s an exciting time for Journalism & Women Symposium because we have so much momentum in membership, programming and fundraising, and we are seeking a new group of dynamic women to propel us forward. If you are interested in joining this leadership group for a two-year term and willing to donate time each week to keep this organization strong and dynamic, please send a note to me or Becky Day.

Who we want:
The JAWS Board should reflect the interests of our members, with an emphasis on diversity of all sorts, including ethnicity, age, experience, geography and media platform. In addition, we value the skills and experience brought to the board from women who have worked in various journalism fields, served on nonprofit boards before, and have specific expertise in areas of importance such as membership, fundraising and programming.

What is required:
•    Maintain a current membership in JAWS and attend the annual conference.
•    Know the bylaws, mission, purpose, goals, strategic plan, programs and services for the organization.
•    Raise funds and actively seek financial support and donations for JAWS and its projects; the goal is for each board member to give or get $500.
•    Prepare for and attend all board meetings. (The board holds regular in-person meetings twice a year, spring and fall. The date of the spring meeting is determined by the president, in consultation with other board members. The fall meeting is held during JAWS CAMP, at the same location. In addition, the president may schedule some board conference calls to discuss other JAWS business and generally does so once a month.)
•    Build and guide long-range plans for membership, programming, fundraising, staffing and resources.
•    Ensure programs and services address membership needs.
•    Recruit members and attendees for annual conferences, contribute program ideas and make sure members are involved in the group.
•    Contribute and/or solicit stories for the JAWS newsletter, listserv, Twitter feed and website.
•    Review the minutes to ensure that critical matters, resolutions and topics of discussion have been adequately covered.
•    Be willing to commit at least several hours per week of volunteer time on areas such as membership, social media, programming, fundraising and CAMP.

Send your note of interest before June 15. We hope to hear from many of you!