NAMI Mass Members will elect directors to join the Board of Directors at its Annual Meeting in the fall.
Apply to join NAMI Mass Board of Directors
Please read the guidelines below before submitting an application.
The Annual Meeting will take place at the beginning of November (date TBD.) Members eligible to vote at the Annual Meeting are those whose dues are paid as of 45 days before the Annual Meeting (by September 17).
Application Guidelines
In preparing for the NAMI Mass fall 2023 election, the Nominating Subcommittee offers these guidelines to assist in the selection of candidates for a position on the Board of Directors.
Background: The NAMI Mass Board of Directors (NAMI Mass BOD) works collaboratively to represent the interests of the members and govern (not manage) the charitable organization, set the budget responsibly, establish priorities, values and strategies, and provide guidance around various programs and services. The expectation is that this will be done in a fair, impartial, confidential, collegial and respectful manner. Please see NAMI Mass By-Laws for additional information about fiduciary duties and responsibilities of NAMI Mass directors.
Goal: Directors should be passionate about NAMI Mass’ mission to improve the lives of those impacted by mental health challenges. Our goal in nominating potential candidates for Director is to have a diversity of lived experience and professional background that reflects the cultural, social, demographic and ideological diversity of all residents of Massachusetts especially those of historically marginalized identity. We believe that having diversity of identities, experiences, and perspectives enriches our work and enables NAMI to serve all communities, particularly those with less resource and on the receiving end of systemic inequity. Therefore, we encourage future board members who are aligned with the following NAMI Massachusetts guiding principles to apply. Read the full version of our guiding principles.
- NAMI Mass acknowledges that mental health conditions do not discriminate based on race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, socioeconomic or disability status.
- NAMI Mass views mental health as a key component of overall health and core to who we are as people. We seek to empower everyone to talk about mental health freely and without shame.
- People with mental health conditions can be more vulnerable to discrimination and violations of their human rights in our current systems, including in hospitals, congregate care settings, prisons, education systems, and the workplace, and we recognize the structural inequities shaped by our laws and policies.
- We believe that people experience and understand the causes of mental health challenges in several ways. NAMI Mass recognizes the right of people living with a mental health condition to determine and name these causes.
- NAMI Mass believes that “recovery” or “healing” from mental health challenges is real and possible, but that each person defines what this means individually.
A candidate for NAMI Mass BOD would ideally possess the following qualities:
- willingness and ability to use their unique personal and professional skills, abilities, lived experiences (whether personal and/or as a family member or caregiver), and resources to the benefit of NAMI Mass and advance its mission (NAMI Mass BOD recognizes that potential candidates have all kinds and levels of skills and abilities that are highly valuable);
- have demonstrated (in volunteer positions or work) a reasonable level of ability and experience, integrity, good judgment, the ability to participate in and follow through on projects, and effectiveness in working within a group as a team member;
- have good interpersonal and communication skills;
- be cooperative and supportive yet respectfully assertive to express their own opinion;
- embrace and have a strong passion for and commitment to NAMI’s mission, services, policies and programs;
- adhere to NAMI Mass By-Laws;
- have enthusiasm and time/availability to attend virtual BOD meetings as specified in the NAMI Mass By-laws and actively participate in its activities, including fundraising;
- be open-minded to and tolerant of differing ideas and opinions, a variety of ‘mental health’ and ‘mental illness’ interpretations and definitions, and different approaches to achieving emotional, mental, or spiritual wellness.
Nomination Process: To be considered for nomination to the NAMI Mass BOD, interested individuals should complete an online application by September 19. For more information, contact the NAMI Mass Nominating Subcommittee at nominations@namimass.org.
