Timeline:
Available Positions:
Before nominating for a specific position, you should consider your area of expertise, years of experience with sea turtles, level of involvement with the International Sea Turtle Society, geographic diversity, reputation in sea turtle conservation and biology, leadership skills, and communication skills. You should also consider the following:
- A nominee can run for only one position and must meet the outline experience criteria for the position.
- Every nominee and nominator must be a member of the International Sea Turtle Society at the time of nomination. Nominees must also be a member at the time of election.
- It is the responsibility of the nominator and the nominee to gather and submit all required materials (nomination form, photo, and letters of support) to the Nominations Committee. The Nomination Committee can assist in the process but is not responsible for soliciting letters of support for a nominee.
- Bios of qualified nominees will appear on this website and will include a link to the received application form for voters to review (letters of support will not be made public).
Details: There is no opening for the President-Elect during this current cycle due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. See our Emergency Response Plan. In normal years, there is one vacant position for a term of 5-years (served on both the Executive Committee and Board of Directors).
Responsibilities: The primary responsibilities of the President are to host the annual International Sea Turtle Symposium, lead International Sea Turtle Society fundraising efforts, and promote the Vision and Mission of the Society as stated in the By-Laws and Constitution. Further details are provided within the Terms of Reference.
Experience Criteria: The nominee should have attended at least four symposia within the past 15 years. Note that only past symposia are taken into consideration.
Details: Each member of the Board of Directors serve a 5-year term. There are three vacant positions each year.
Responsibilities: The Terms of Reference outline the role and responsibilities of a member of the Board of Directors.
Experience Criteria: The nominee should have attended at least three symposia within the past 10 years. Note that only past symposia are taken into consideration.
Details: The treasurer and secretary serve a 4-year term. There is one vacant position for each role this year.
Responsibilities: The Terms of Reference outline the role and responsibilities of a Treasurer.
Experience Criteria: The Treasurer nominee should have attended at least two symposia within the past 10 years. The Secretary nominee should have attended at least four symposia within the past 15 years and preferably have been on the Board of Directors. Note that only past symposia are taken into consideration.
Details: Nominations Committee members serve a 3-year term. There are two vacant positions: one ex BoD member and one regular member.
Responsibilities: The role of the Nominations Committee is to solicit, receive, and review nominations for leadership and committee positions.
Experience Criteria: Nominees for the Nominations Committee should have attended at least three symposia.
Details: Awards Committee members serve a 3-year term. There are four vacant positions: two regular members and two past Lifetime Achievement Awardees.
Responsibilities: The Terms of Reference outline the role and responsibilities of a member of the Awards Committee.
Experience Criteria: In an effort to maintain diversity amongst the award recipients, the committee encourages the membership to nominate Award Committee members with experience, diverse geographical backgrounds, and those who have contributed to sea turtle conservation in different ways. The nominee should have attended at least five symposia within the past 10 years (note that only past symposia are taken into consideration).
Letter of Support
Two letters of support should be completed following the completion of your nomination. These should not be completed by the nominee. Only letters of support for the specific year of nomination will be considered. Letters of support should be provided by individuals with personal experience of the nominee’s research/conservation activities.
A template for a letter of support can be downloaded here. Once complete, they should be emailed to the Nominations Committee.
Additional Information:
To assist in the nomination process, the Nomination Committee provides the following suggestions for preparing your nominations:
- Provide clear and accurate information.
- Letters of support should explain the relationship between the nominee and the referee.
- Explain how the nominee’s contribution fits within the context of those they work with – often achievements are collaborative, but individuals can still make a significant individual contribution.
- A nominee’s biographical information should not exceed 250 words.