The ONA Board of Directors currently has 3 open seats, with two incumbent candidates currently on the board of directors who will run for re-election. 

Nominations are open now — closes September 16.

Key Dates

Elected Seats

Appointed Seats

Start a Nomination

There are two forms, depending on whether you're putting yourself forward or nominating a colleague. 

Self-Nomination: Run for the Board Complete the candidate form with your bio, your vision for journalism, and a photo. If you're approved for the slate, this is what gets posted publicly for members to review before voting. Go to the candidate form: Due Wednesday, Sept. 16, 11:59 p.m. EDT. 

Nominate Someone Else Know an ONA member who'd make a strong board member? Nominate them directly — both of you need to be ONA members in good standing. Go to the nomination form: Due Wednesday, Sept. 16 at 11:59 p.m. EDT

Who Can Run

The Governance Committee reviews every nominee against this criteria before forwarding a slate to the membership.

1. Membership in good standing Both the nominee and the person nominating them must be ONA members in good standing. Not a member yet? Join before submitting.

2. Leadership in a focus area Candidates should show thought or career leadership in at least one of:

• Emerging technology strategy in journalism
• Audience engagement and metrics best practices
• Cultivating newsroom leaders, culture, and diversity
• Innovative, community-serving storytelling
• Sustainable revenue and business models

3. Contribution to a representative board Candidates are assessed on commitment to ONA's principles and what they'd add to a diverse, well-rounded board, including:

• Demographics (gender, age, race and ethnicity, etc.)
• Geographic representation
• Career leadership experience in digital media, plus an understanding of industry needs at the intersection of journalism and technology
• Strategic planning experience
• Technology acumen
• Organizational affiliation and diversity of media and technology represented
• ONA membership type (professional, academic, or associate)
• Executive management experience
• Access to resources and support for the organization / fundraising ability and capacity
• Availability for active participation

4. Capacity to serve Candidates must demonstrate access to resources and support, show they can fulfill the responsibilities of ONA board membership, and understand BoardSource's ten essential responsibilities of nonprofit boards.

5. A history with ONA Nominees should show a track record of service to ONA — for example, active volunteer work on a committee, event, or initiative.

What the Role Asks of You

ONA's board is strategic rather than operational. The board's job is to set the direction and govern the organization. 

Three legal duties:

Duty of Care — Participate actively in decisions on the organization's behalf, and exercise good judgment while doing it.

Duty of Loyalty — Put the organization's interests ahead of personal or professional ones when making decisions on its behalf.

Duty of Obedience — Ensure the organization complies with applicable federal, state, and local law and stays true to its mission.

Once elected, board members are also expected to:

1. Commit to editorial independence, journalistic excellence, freedom of expression, and freedom of access in digital media.
2. Support the next generation of digital journalists through ONA's programs, particularly its annual conference, the Online Journalism Awards, professional and leadership development, regional events, training, publications, and partnerships with other journalism organizations.
3. Fundraise on the organization's behalf.
4. Make a personal contribution. ONA asks board members to make it their most significant annual charitable gift, with 100% board participation.
5. Join roughly five board conference calls a year and attend two in-person meetings (typically late January and June) at their own expense. Board members don't receive complimentary passes to ONA events and programs.
6. Chair or serve on ad hoc committees; organize or host local events; or be ready to stand for election to one of the four officer positions (President, Vice President, Secretary, or Treasurer), depending on membership category.
7. Represent ONA at industry events and share its message where appropriate through their own websites, blogs, and social media.
8. Be familiar with ONA's bylaws and the organization's history.

A note on appointed seats: Alongside the elected board, a smaller number of seats are filled by Governance Committee appointment. That nomination window opens after voting closes (due Nov. 5) and follows its own review timeline, with appointments announced Nov. 17.

Questions

Contact Governance Committee Liaison Erin McGregor at [email protected] with questions about the nomination process.

Background reading:

• BoardSource's ten essential responsibilities
• ONA bylaws
• Board responsibilities 

Membership:

• Join or renew ONA membership