Call for nominations to join our Executive Board

Background

Following the Special General Assembly held online on 16 May 2024, the number of voting members on the WSAVA EB has increased from five to ten. The increase in membership is to accommodate at least one Ordinary Board Member position for each of the new WSAVA regions.

Positions Available

The new WSAVA regions, the number of Ordinary Board Member positions allocated to each of the regions, and the number of positions available in 2024 are listed below.

*The second Ordinary Board Member position for Asia is occupied by Nalinika Obeyesekere (Sri Lanka) who will complete her first term as Ordinary Board Member at the General Assembly 2026.

**In 2024, Jerzy Gawor (Poland) completes his first term as Ordinary Board Member. As per the WSAVA bylaws, Jerzy is eligible to stand for election for one further term if he would wish to do so.

The position of Treasurer will be available following Oscar Umaña completing one term as Treasurer. As per the WSAVA bylaws, Oscar is eligible to stand for election for one further term if he would wish to do so.

The position of President-Elect will be available following Ellen van Nierop completing her two-year term as President, and Jim Berry progressing from President-Elect to President.

Things to Consider

For many, serving on the WSAVA EB is a great honor. It can also be a great way to develop oneself personally and professionally. There are a variety of things nominees must consider before putting themselves forward. There are also requirements which candidates must meet to be considered, these are listed below. Therefore, prior to submitting a nomination, it is critical that nominees review the following:

• EB Terms of Reference
• WSAVA Bylaws
• WSAVA Policy and Process Manual
• WSAVA Strategy 2023 to 2025

For nominees considering the roles of President-Elect and Treasurer, the Manual also contains detailed role descriptions, including the essential and desirable knowledge, skills, and experience required for each role.

Nomination Process

Those wishing to put themselves forward for nomination must provide the following:

• Up-to-date curriculum vitae / resume.
• Letter to WSAVA members which outlines why they are interested in the role, how they meet the role’s requirements, and if there are any desired knowledge, skills, or experience, how they meet those.
• Letter of support from their member association. This means your association would be happy for you to stand for this position.
• Conflict of interest declaration.

Nominees are strongly encouraged to record a short video message outlining the content of their letter to members. This will be published on the WSAVA website along with the documents supporting their nomination. By way of lobbying, nominees will also be asked for one letter directed to all assembly representatives which will be sent out through central secretariat to all voting assembly reps at least one month before the elections. This letter may contain your personal contact details so an assembly representative may contact you in case of any questions or doubts. WSAVA discourages lobbying in other ways, as our nominees are likely to not have equal experience and funds for lobbying activities.

All nominations will be reviewed by the WSAVA Membership and Nomination Committee. Incomplete nominations will not be considered. Nominations that meet the required criteria will be put forward for election. This year the election will take place at the WSAVA General Assembly, being held on 2 September 2024 in Suzhou, China. The General Assembly decides who is elected.

Ideally, nominees will be present in person at the General Assembly. If they are, they will have the opportunity to make a short, in-person address to the assembly. If they are not, then the recorded video provided as part of their nomination will be played. Elected board members are expected to be available for a first board meeting on the 6th of September.

The deadline for submitting nominations is 23:59 UTC on 17 June 2024.

Frequently Asked Questions

What term will those elected serve for?

In line with the WSAVA bylaws, Ordinary Board Member’s will serve one term of two years and be eligible to stand for re-election once.

The Treasurer will serve one term of two years and be eligible to stand for re-election once. However, it is the EB’s intention to propose a bylaw change at the General Assembly in September 2024. If approved, the Treasurer will be eligible to stand for election for a maximum of three terms.

The President-Elect will serve one term of two years, followed by one term as President for two years, and one term as Immediate Past President for two years.

What language skills are required?

As the business of WSAVA is conducted in English, interested individuals should be fluent in English – both written and oral.

What is the time commitment required?

All WSAVA EB members should expect to attend monthly teleconferences which last for two hours (these occur on the third Thursday of the month between 13:00/15:00 UTC. There are a minimum of two annual face-to-face meetings to discuss and agree WSAVA’s strategic direction and projects of a larger scale. These meetings generally last for one week, which includes travel time to and from the destination. The first of the meetings is usually within the first quarter of the year. The second is held in the week leading up to the WSAVA World Congress. All EB members are expected to attend and actively participate in the WSAVA Congress. All board members are also assigned at least one of the working committees of WSAVA as a liaison, to make sure communication flows from committee to the board and vice versa. At any one time there may also be important issues that come up that need smaller group discussions. We expect board members to be able to answer their e-mails

within 48 hours except when prior notice of absence is given (for example during holidays away from internet). Small group discussions on upcoming issues are common.

Will I be reimbursed for expenses incurred on WSAVA business?

The EB provides their time to the WSAVA in a voluntary capacity. To compensate for the routine costs, they incur whilst carrying out their EB responsibilities, the EB are provided with the allowances below, which are pro-rata if a tenure concludes short of a full year. Other expenses, such as travel and accommodation required for WSAVA business, are also reimbursed.

• Stipend: $1,250 USD per quarter, totaling $5,000 USD per year
• Technology & Internet Allowance per year: $850 USD

Where can I find a list of all WSAVA member associations?

The WSAVA website displays a list of all member associations with links to their websites where available. You can also view a list of all WSAVA member associations by membership category here.

I have some questions. Is it possible to have an informal discussion about this opportunity?

Questions can be sent to our Executive Director, Richard Casey, and you can book a one-to-one with him HERE. Alternatively, you can always contact any member of the EB.