The National Rural Health Association's strength and success is largely the result of leaders, members and staff working together with a common purpose to ensure the broadest range and highest quality of health care services to rural America.
Our annual nomination and election process is key to the ongoing need to maintain the flow of our volunteer leadership. We recognize that our members all are busy people asked to wear many hats. We ask that you give thoughtful consideration to wearing one more hat, that of an NRHA leader. Please read and seriously consider this invitation.
The Nominations and Credentials Committee is soliciting nominations for several NRHA leadership positions that will begin Jan. 1, 2012.
NRHA leadership structure and leadership development path
For those of you not familiar with NRHA structure, the Board of Trustees is made up of the officers, constituency group (CG) chairs, the chair of the State Association Council (SAC), the chair of the State Office Council (SOC) and the chair of the Rural Health Congress (RHC). The officers are elected by the full membership. The chairs of the constituency groups, the Rural Health Congress, State Office Council and the State Association Council are elected by the membership of their respective groups. The Board of Trustees has responsibility for governance, development of policies and the financial well-being of the association.
The Rural Health Congress determines the association's positions regarding public policy. It is comprised of representatives elected from each constituency group – one for every 50 voting members – as well as the Board of Trustees, State Association Council representatives, State Office Council representatives, and the five most recent past presidents of the association (not including the current past president).
The present recommended leadership path to assist nominees in preparation for volunteer leadership is to serve in a committee volunteer position first, then serve as a Rural Health Congress constituency representative or a state representative on either the State Association Council or the State Office Council and, finally, serve as a member of the Board of Trustees (see the nominee qualifications and responsibilities).
This recommended path provides volunteer leaders with an appropriate base of knowledge about the workings of the association and relevant current policies and issues to serve in the upper leadership positions.
2012 leader nominations sought
Nominations are being sought to fill the following positions. Each of the positions will serve two-year terms and may serve up to three consecutive terms. The only exception is the president-elect, who serves one year in that role, the following year as president, and his or her final year as past president.
OfficersPresident-elect
Secretary
Constituency Group Chairs
Hospitals and Community Health Systems
Research and Education
Statewide Health Resources
Students
Rural Health Congress (The number of open positions per constituency appears in parentheses following the constituency group name.)
Clinical Services (5)
Diverse Underserved Populations (1)
Hospitals and Community Health Systems (10)
Rural Health Clinics (3)
Research and Education (2)
Statewide Health Resources (2)
Students (6)
Nominee qualifications and responsibilities
NRHA bylaws require that any officer nominees must have been an association member for at least three years to be eligible for nomination; additionally, president-elect nominees also must have served at least one year on either the Board of Trustees or the Rural Health Congress. Please note that all elected leaders are responsible for paying their own expenses to participate, including travel expenses.
If you already hold a position, you may want to consider running for re-election to that position, within the parameters outlined in the association bylaws (most positions are limited to three two-year consecutive terms) or running for election to another position. Members are encouraged to nominate themselves. You may also nominate a qualified member for election to a position or nominate a current leader for a new position. If you choose to nominate someone other than yourself, please assure that the individual signs the consent to serve (Part 5) on the nomination form.
Making a nomination
NRHA members may download the nomination form by clicking here. This form should be completed for any candidate whose name is being submitted for one of the leadership positions listed above. You may copy the nomination form as needed if you wish to nominate more than one person. To be considered for inclusion on the 2012 slate of candidates, nomination forms must be completed, including the signed consent to serve (Part 5), and returned to the NRHA with a postmark no later than Sept. 1, 2011.
Visit http://nrha.informz.net/z/cjUucD9taT0xNjY1NzYzJnA9MSZ1PTEwMDk5OTg4MDYmbGk9NzUyNDg5Ng/index.html to access nomination forms and to learn more about NRHA's volunteer leadership positions.
