Call for nominations for the USASP Board of Directors, including the President-Elect and Secretary

The USASP is looking to fill three Director seats on the Board of Directors and two Officers, the President-Elect and the Secretary. The USASP is committed to (1) transparency in the nomination and election process and (2) board membership that reflects the diversity of the membership of the USASP. Therefore, the USASP will accept nominees who meet the criteria for any of the seats described below.

General Eligibility Criteria for Open Positions: 

• An active member of the USASP in good standing 

• Recent experience serving on USASP committees or working groups or comparable experience in other organizations.

• An active member of the International Association for the Study of Pain 

Board of Directors (three open positions)*:

Term: Three years

Directors on the Board provide advice to the President and guidance on issues brought to the USASP and support the Board’s decision-making process. Directors will serve concurrently on at least one other USASP Committee and/or Task Force as the liaison between the Committee/Task Force and the Board. The below criteria for open seats are defined based on the required characteristics to balance the experience and expertise on the Board.

Seat 1: Mid- to Senior-career investigator (Assoc./Full or Senior Scientist/Director) whose primary designation** is Basic Research -Preclinical 

Seat 2: An individual from any career stage whose primary designation** is Clinical Care and/or Patient Advocacy

Seat 3: An individual from any career stage whose primary designation** is Behavioral and Social Sciences or Population Health and Health Services

President-Elect:

Term: 4 years (1 year as President-Elect, two years as President, one year as Past President)

The President serves as the “face” of the USASP, works to ensure the health and continued growth of the Association, and advances the short and long-term goals established by the Board of Directors. The President will chair monthly meetings with the Executive Committee (composed of the President, President-Elect, Treasurer, Secretary, and a Board representative) and semi-annual meetings with the Board of Directors. The President will work closely with USASP administrative staff to ensure that all aspects of the organization run as smoothly as possible. Additional responsibilities include:  Appointing the incoming Chair of the Scientific Program Committee (SPC) and working with the SPC chair in organizing the annual scientific meeting, chairing the nominations committee, and chairing the committee on committees (when President and then Past-President). 

Once elected, the successful candidate will spend the first year as President-Elect, working closely with the President to learn about Association and Board processes and ongoing projects.  In the second year, the President-Elect will become the President, working with the Immediate Past President.  In the third year, the President will mentor the new President-Elect, and in the fourth year, will become the Immediate Past President. 

Eligibility Criteria: Mid- to Senior-career individual (Assoc./Full or Senior Scientist/Director) with an established track record of leadership in local, national, and/or international organizations.

Secretary:

Term: 3 years

The Secretary shall keep the minutes of the meetings of the Board of Directors and shall oversee the keeping, preparation, and filing of all other records required by law or by the policies of the Board; be the custodian of the corporate records, keep a register of the post office address of each Director which shall be furnished to the Secretary by such Director; and in general, perform all duties incident to the office of Secretary and such other duties as from time to time may be assigned by the President or by the Board of Directors.

Nominating Materials:

Please indicate in your application materials which seat/position (e.g., Director Seat #1, Director Seat #2, etc.) you would like to be considered for. The Nomination Committee will only consider a member for one seat/position on the ballot within an election year.  The following materials will be required for a complete application:

• a Curriculum Vitae

• evidence that they meet the criteria listed above for a seat or position

• a one-page personal statement of why they would like to serve the USASP on the Board or as an Officer.  Nominees are expected to include their experience and commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and access.

• a picture to accompany their personal statement on the election and ballot material

Nomination Process:

• Submit materials to [email protected] with the board position identified in the subject line (e.g., “Nomination for USASP President”)

• Deadline for submissions:  October 1, 2023 (midnight PST)

• The Nominations Committee will review submitted materials, and applicants that meet the criteria for the position sought will be included on the ballot.

At the USASP, we believe that diverse voices and approaches are required to address the substantial challenge and cost of reducing the burden of pain.  We strive to entwine diverse perspectives into all aspects of our work, including our membership and leadership, our interactions with other professional organizations and the community, our educational activities and engagement with early career investigators, and our national role in advocating for improved pain relief. Therefore, the USASP will continue to support incorporating individuals from underrepresented and disadvantaged/ underprivileged backgrounds to enhance our diversity, promote equity, and model an inclusive and accessible organization.

Officers and Directors remaining on the Board 2023-2024: https://usasp.memberclicks.net/leadership

**Primary Designation is how an individual’s career classification is self-identified on their USASP membership profile.