呦乐园

Election Guidance PDF Version

呦乐园 Annual Board Elections - Your Voice, Your Future

The National Environmental Health Association invites all Professional and Life members to participate in our upcoming annual Board of Directors election. This is your opportunity to shape the future of environmental health by electing leaders who will represent your interests and advance our profession's mission. Each year, voting members select candidates for contested positions including Second Vice-President and Regional Vice-Presidents, ensuring that our Board reflects the diverse perspectives and expertise of our membership community. Your vote matters in determining who will guide 呦乐园's strategic direction and advocate for environmental health professionals nationwide.

Board Makeup

Directors of the Association are the Regional Vice-Presidents and the elected Officers. The elected Officers are the President, President-Elect, First Vice-President, Second Vice-President, and Past-President. The CEO serves as a non-voting ex-officio member of the Board.

Eligibility to Serve & to Vote

There shall be two (2) classes of membership with voting privileges, designated as Professional and Life (鈥淰oting Members鈥�). and four (4) classes of non-voting membership designated as Retired, Emerging Professional, Student, and International.

Directors shall be people who have been Voting Members of the Association in Good Standing for at least three (3) consecutive years and shall maintain this status throughout their terms in office. Candidates must be qualified by February 15th prior to the annual general election period of March 1 鈥� 31.

An Affiliate officer or other voting Affiliate board member cannot serve as a member of the 呦乐园 Board. Should an Affiliate officer or other voting Affiliate board member be elected to the Board, he or she must resign their Affiliate position before assuming their new 呦乐园 position. Conversely, if a 呦乐园 Director is elected as an Affiliate officer or other voting Affiliate board member, that Director must resign from the 呦乐园 Board before assuming the position as an Affiliate officer or other voting Affiliate board member.

Commitment Requirements

• The 呦乐园 Board Officers serve by virtue of a serial succession of five (5) officers in a five-year cycle鈥擲econd Vice President, First Vice President, President Elect, President, Past President鈥攐ne (1) year of service in each position.
• Regional Vice-President positions shall serve no more than two (2) consecutive three (3)-year terms until the expiration of three (3) years following such service. If a Regional Vice-President fills a partial term due, that partial term shall not count as a term for the purposes of the foregoing two term limitation. Description
• The official board year begins, and incoming board members take office at the conclusion of the Annual Educational Conference (AEC).

Annual Meetings

The Board鈥檚 annual meeting may occur in conjunction with the Annual Educational Conference (鈥�AEC鈥�) at a time and place to be fixed by the Board.

Regular Meetings

There shall be at least four (4) regular meetings of the Board each year with one (1) being at the AEC and the others at such time and place as the President determines.

Special Meetings

• Special meetings may be called or authorized at the discretion of the President, or a simple majority (50% +1) of the Directors
• Committee participation, depending on board position and willingness to volunteer. President appoints members annually 鈥� some committees following our Board Policy Manual (BPM).
• The annual hourly commitment of board members varies depending on position, region served, and committees.

Application Process & Election Timeline

Please note: The 呦乐园 Board of Directors application and voting process is conducted entirely through digital platforms. No paper documents or physical signatures are required or accepted. All materials must be uploaded through secure online systems during the open application cycle from October 1 through December 1, 2025 (or the next business day if the deadline falls on a weekend or holiday). Questions regarding eligibility or the application process should be directed to Katherine Bailey, Executive Assistant/Board Liaison, KBailey@neha.org

Candidate Application Period (year preceding the AEC)

October 1 - December 1 (or next business day) Candidates must submit:

• Online application Links to 2nd VP and RVP online applications will be available September 2025
• Personal, professional, and educational information
• Current resume
• Completed member signature form
• High-resolution headshot (300 dpi minimum) with solid background
• Biography (maximum 800 words for 2nd VP candidates; maximum 400 words for RVP candidates)

Voting Period ~ March 1-31 (or next business day)

Electronic voting invitations are distributed to eligible voting members.

Contested Positions

The Voting Members shall annually elect, by a plurality of the secret ballots cast, a Second Vice-President. When a Regional Vice-President鈥檚 term is expiring, the Voting Members in that Region shall elect a Regional Vice-President. Voting for the election of Regional Vice-Presidents shall be restricted to the Voting Members in the said Region affected and shall be by secret ballot. If an election for First Vice-President and/or President-Elect is necessary, the Voting Members shall elect a First Vice-President and/or President-Elect by a plurality of the secret ballots cast. Cumulative voting is not allowed in elections.

If every reasonable and exhaustive effort has been attempted and is not able to produce a nominee for the position of Regional Vice-President, the Board of Directors shall appoint an Association Member in Good Standing in that region to serve the regular term.

Results and Notification ~ April 1 (or next business day)

• Election results provided to Board President, Governance & Nominations Chair, and Dr. David Dyjack
• President contacts candidates by telephone to communicate results
• Results published through 呦乐园 communication channels
• Board Liaison initiates onboarding process for newly elected members

Election Impartiality Requirements

To ensure elections remain impartial, candidates are prohibited from:

• Requesting support from 呦乐园 staff
• Obtaining membership contact information from staff
• Using the 呦乐园 logo in election campaign materials
• Requesting or submitting journal/web page advertising or links through 呦乐园 staff
• Using 呦乐园 mailing lists or email addresses for campaigning

Contacts

• Katherine Bailey, Executive Assistant/Board Liaison,may be contacted for questions regarding eligibility or the application process. KBailey@neha.org
• Anna Khan, Immediate Past-President, Governance & Nominations Committee Chair, may be contacted for further information regarding the inner workings of serving as a board member. AKhan@neha.org
• The Sales Manager can be contacted if you want to run paid advertising for your candidacy in EH in Focus. Sales@neha.org