Seth Anderson, AIA
AIAO Past President
As you may have seen from the Chapter’s previous announcements, including in this edition of T@3, AIA Oregon is seeking members who want to be considered for leadership positions on the board of directors. We have open positions for President-Elect, At-Large Director and Treasurer, as well as AIA Salem Section Director-elect. For those that haven’t served on the board of an organization, I thought I’d share what the AIA Oregon board of directors is and my own experience and perspective serving on the board.
First, what is the AIA Oregon Board of Directors? The Board is responsible for the governance of the Chapter and providing direction to the Executive Vice President who executes the strategic initiatives of the Chapter. We are fortunate in Oregon to have a paid staff that helps to organize and perform the day-to-day operation of the Chapter. This allows the Board to spend more time on the intentional structure of the board, consisting of locally elected Section Directors and state-wide elected officers (President, Secretary, Treasurer and President-elect or Past-president) and at-large directors, provides opportunity for a diversity of leadership while balancing the geographic representation and -- let’s be frank -- the power to set the direction of the organization. Each member of the board brings their unique skills, perspectives, and connections to the team, meaning that the board is a dynamic and ever evolving group. The constant is that members who serve in this capacity are dedicated to helping other architects and emerging professionals in our state.
I have served in some capacity on the AIA Oregon Board since 2014, starting as a delegate from the AIA Southwestern Oregon Chapter, then a member of the single state-wide chapter task force, and then as President-elect, two years as President, and now in my final year as Past-President. Serving on the board has been a rewarding experience, allowing me to participate in setting the direction for our Chapter, as well as feeling more connected and informed. While this is my last year on the Board, I will continue my service to the Chapter and our members by getting involved with one of the Chapter committees.
Committees are an excellent way to be involved with the Chapter, and take on a leadership role, without the longer-term commitment required of a board position. The board delegates authority and responsibility for specific areas of the Chapter’s initiatives to committees. Each committee is led by a committee chair (or in some cases co-chairs) who organize the meetings and activities of the committee. There may be only a few members involved, as in the case of ad-hoc committees or task-forces, or may consist of many members aligned around a specific area of focus. See www.aiaoregon.org for more information about specific committees.
So, now that you understand how our Chapter is organized and the opportunities for being an active member, how would you like to get involved? As Misti Nelmes, AIA Oregon Secretary, wrote in her August 6, 2020 Leadership Message, you will get far more than you give by being an engaged member of our Chapter. If you know you want to serve, but aren’t sure how, please reach out to the staff, a member of the Board, or our Committee chairs to see what’s available. We are grateful for the volunteers who help put on our programming and move forward our initiatives!
Are you interested in learning more about leadership positions at AIA Oregon, or opportunities to grow your leadership skills to advance your career? Join the October 9 AIAO Virtual Happy Hour to discuss with emerging professionals that are leading now. Follow this link to register.