Call for Nominations

About the Board

The AIGA NY board is a volunteer board of directors composed of both designers and non-designers who support the chapter’s following mission:

Championing the future of design for all.
The full value of design can only be realized when all people can participate. And to create that future, we must build it together. AIGA NY will work towards this necessary change by facilitating conversations, creating spaces and building platforms for the New York City design community.

In all of our work, the board of AIGA NY commits to:
Elevate the work and insights of all voices in design.
Examine designers’ impact on the world.
Support inclusive opportunities for design education at all stages of life.
Fight for fairer models of design work and compensation.
Celebrate the joy and craft of design.

We encourage interested individuals who exhibit the dedication, passion and ability to actively participate, serve, and lead the design community in New York City to consider self-nominating.

Considerations

Board member participation
As chapter leaders of a professional membership association, every member of the board is expected to participate in AIGA NY as an active member for the duration of their board service. Once voted to the board, board members are required to be paying members per our 501(c)3 status requirements.

Board duties and responsibilities
AIGA NY is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization with one full-time staff member. It is the New York chapter of AIGA (the professional association for design). As a volunteer-powered and self-governing nonprofit, the board and Board of Directors are responsible for advancing the mission and operations of the organization. As a self-governing nonprofit and working board, the Board of Directors are expected to:

• Participate in and contribute to a workgroup (Education, Programming, and Mentorship Program)
• Attend and participate in AIGA NY events, programs and initiatives
• Be present at monthly board meetings, and weekly workgroup meetings
• Commit to a collective board fundraising goal set each calendar year to maintain financial stability (via sponsorships, fundraising, or personal donations)
• Have a residence and/or employment in the New York City area (five-boroughs)
• Spend at least 10 hours per week volunteering their time to AIGA NY
• Commit to a two-year board term

Completing the Nomination Form
Any individual willing to participate and to fulfill the obligations of board service may self-nominate by completing and submitting the nomination form by midnight May 12, 2025. The nominee need not be a member at the time of nomination, but will be expected to become a member if approved. Each nominee is expected to complete the online form so that the nominating committee may consider the credentials of all candidates individually, as well as comparatively. If you have questions about the form or the nomination process, please contact Stacey Panousopoulos at stacey@aigany.org.

The nomination form is designed to help the nominee prepare and present their qualifications in a consistent manner, and assures that the committee has the same information on all candidates.

The Nominations Committee will review applications through May 23, 2025 in order to fill the open seats on the board of directors for a two year term beginning on June 1, 2025. The Nominations Committee will then recommend a single candidate for each open position to the board. The AIGA NY board then votes on moving those candidates forward as a single-slate to the chapter membership for formal election. If the AIGA NY board does not approve a candidate recommended by the nominating committee, or the committee does not locate a qualified candidate, the committee will continue to search for a candidate. Once the AIGA NY board has approved and voted on the slate, the board President will reach out to each candidate to request their service to join the board. Finally, the new board slate is shared with the AIGA NY membership, who ratifies the board.

We thank you in advance for your interest in joining the AIGA NY Board of Directors.

The Nomination Process

A Nominating Committee works to make sure member interests are represented, and that the AIGA NY Board retains a fresh and diverse perspective. This process is an open, inclusive one; anyone who completes the nomination form is considered.

The criteria for identifying the Nominations Committee of 3-5 individuals outside the current board is as follows:

• 1 member of current board who has completed their tenure
• 1-2 former members of the board
• 1 non-board member who is active in AIGA and has non-profit board experience
• 1-2 members of the prior year’s nominating committee
• The current president of the board (or president-elect) is not allowed to serve on the nominating committee to avoid the opportunity to anoint a successor

The 2025 Nominating Committee:

• Kat McCord, Co-founder Thackway McCord, AIGA NY Development 2019-2022 (Chair)
• Brendan Griffiths, Assistant Professor of Interaction Design, Parsons School of Design, AIGA NY Education 2021-2023
• Anjali Menon, UX/UI Consultant, AIGA NY Mentoring Co-ordinator 2016-2019

Selection Criteria Given to the 2025 Nominating Committee

Open number of board seats
There are eight (8) two-year seats the board is looking to fill, with a term through 2027.

Board Member Expectations
For the board to effectively govern, it is essential for board members to represent a variety of skills, experience, perspectives and expertise. The incoming slate of board members should consist of individuals with leadership experience outside of AIGA NY who can best support the following workgroups: programming, communications, financial development, mentorship and executive management.

Additionally, the board as a whole should embody the diversity that is reflective and representational of our NYC community as well as exemplary of and supportive to the changes we’re striving to make as a community.

Attributes of diversity
Representing the diversity of our NYC design community is our ongoing commitment. This category of criteria consists of general attributes that should be considered in order to advance the diversity of points of view and stakeholder awareness. Nominees are not required to reveal personal information about themselves. The nomination form does however provide board candidates with the opportunity to share any unique experiences or perspectives they feel they might bring to the board should they wish to. A representative board would reflect a diverse range of the following attributes:

• Age
• Disability Status
• Discipline (note: this is not limited to disciplines within the design profession)
• Ethnicity
• Gender
• Geographic location
• Race
• Sexual orientation
• Socio-economic background
• Workplace

Context
Nominating candidates to the AIGA NY Board is essentially succession planning. As such, each slate must be considered within the following contexts:

• Does each candidate individually meet the requisite criteria?
• Does the slate as a whole represent a balance of expertise, unique experiences and perspectives that AIGA NY is proud to stand behind?
• How well does the slate represent the broader New York community, its concerns and interests?
• Does the slate result in an overall board that meets the necessary attributes?

Executive Workgroup

VP of Operations

The AIGA NY VP of Operations is responsible for board-wide process, policies, and reporting to ensure our board is running in optimal and effective ways. You will be supported in these efforts by the executive board, the Executive Director, and the AIGA NY board.

Read full position description here.

VP Grants & Sponsorships

The AIGA NY VP of Grants & Sponsorships is responsible for diversifying and augmenting existing revenue streams to ensure the organization is a sustainable, modern non-profit. You will be supported in these efforts by the executive board, the Executive Director, VP of Operations, and the Executive Board.

Read full position description here.

VP Community Experience

The AIGA NY VP of Community Experience is responsible for membership advocacy, development and reporting to ensure our community is actively connected to our board, our events, resources, activities and each other. You will be supported in these efforts by the executive board, executive director, VP of Operations, and the AIGA NY board. This role is great for someone in the customer service space.

Read full position description here.

Education Workgroup

The Education Workgroup of the AIGA NY Board of Directors (Board) is seeking new members to support the Board in maintaining and developing initiatives to advance the mission of AIGA NY.

We’re looking for candidates who:
• Have leadership experience in design education (communication/graphic/interaction/motion), in both private and public school settings.
• Excited to help AIGA NY’s Executive Director and Board support our community of students and educators to: provide critical educational programming
• Foster meaningful relationships between industry and students; and make visible the variety of design education opportunities available to all types of students (undergraduate, graduate, nontraditional, and career-changers)
• Are curious about the role of design education in a changing industry, and willing to lead discussions and pose questions regarding this
• Are interested in bringing design education outside of academia, and providing opportunities between universities, independent institutions, and knowledge-hungry designers alike
• Experience talking about design to a variety of learners from individuals new to design to seasoned practitioners
• Invigorated by considering what design pedagogy and research looks like outside of academia and its value in culture

Programming Workgroup

The Programming Workgroup of the AIGA NY Board of Directors (Board) is seeking new members to support the Board in event planning to advance the mission of AIGA NY.

We’re looking for candidates who:
• Have a passion for planning and producing virtual and in person events, of various scales — including lunch and learns, mixers, keynotes, and panel discussions
• Excited to help AIGA NY’s Executive Director and Board and develop events from the inception of an idea to the final outcome, as well as work directly with members of the community
• Commitment to elevating underrepresented voices in the design community
• Outreach and relationship-building, to expand our network of speakers and topics
• Understanding of budget and creative financing

Mentorship Program Workgroup

The Mentorship Program Workgroup of the AIGA NY Board of Directors (Board) is seeking new members to support the Board in mentorship program planning and production to advance the mission of AIGA NY.

We’re looking for candidates who:
• Have a passion for developing and participating in programs to support early career designers
• Excited to help AIGA NY’s Executive Director and Board maintain and grow the initiative
• Demonstrates confidence in ability to offer guidance in the midst of constantly changing workplace environments, and adapting to change

The deadline to apply is midnight May 12, 2025.