Leadership Development Committee and Committee Nomination Process

Leadership Development Committee

Purpose: The Leadership Development Committee (LDC) constructs a contested slate for president-elect, treasurer and at-large directors. The Committee also identifies and recruits candidates with the aid of the Advisory Council (AC) and membership-at-large.

The Leadership Development Committee will accomplish these tasks by:  

• Conducting interviews and clarifying competencies and multirepresentational balance elements with the APS Board of Directors.  
• Developing a rubric for the evaluation of candidates for consistent and uniform evaluation.  
• Conducting a fair, transparent and consistently applied process for candidate evaluation.

Composition: The immediate past president chairs the LDC as a nonvoting member for one year. Three members of the APS Board of Directors who are serving the third year of their term also serve on the LDC for one year. Five nonBoard members selected by the AC serve a two-year nonrenewable term. The APS CEO serves as ex officio without vote.

Current Leadership Development Committee

Rick Samson, PhD, DSc, FAPS, Chair 
Heddwen Brooks, PhD, Third-year Board member 
Nisha Charkoudian, PhD, Third-year Board member 
Evangeline Motley-Johnson, PhD, Third-year Board member 
Carole Liedtke, PhD, FAPS, AC-selected nonBoard member 
David Poole, DSc, FAPS, AC-selected nonBoard member 
Timo Rieg, PhD, AC-selected nonBoard member 
Kathy Ryan, PhD, FAPS, AC-selected nonBoard member
Loren Wold, PhD, AC-selected nonBoard member 
Scott Steen, CAE, FASAE, APS CEO/Secretary 

2024–2025 Nominations Process and Timeline

September 9—Nominations Open to APS Members

• APS members receive an email to submit nominations for president-elect and APS board members.
  • Please see criteria listed below.
• Members will be provided a list of past and current APS councilors/directors and past presidents. Members of the Board of Directors and presidents may only serve one term.
• Nominees for president-elect must have served on the Council/Board as either an elected or ex officio member.
• Members will receive weekly reminders to submit their nominations.
• The portal will be open for 30 days.

October 7—Deadline for Membership Submissions

• The Leadership Development (LDC) Committee begins the review process. APS staff sends the LDC a list of all eligible members who were nominated.
• The LDC reaches out to eligible candidates to confirm their willingness to serve.
• Candidates are provided with required competencies, time expectations and position descriptions.
• Willing candidates must provide:
  • Curriculum vitae
  • Letter of Intent stating why they wish to serve on the Board. Letter should provide a self-appraisal describing how they have served the Society and how their skills or experiences demonstrate the required competencies.

November 11, 12 or 13—Leadership Development Committee Meeting 

• The LDC convenes to discuss candidate applications.  
• The meeting is chaired by the immediate past president who can also provide the tie-breaking vote if required. 
• When reviewing and selecting the candidates, important criteria to consider are the candidates’ match for the identified competencies: 
  • Qualifications, skillset and merit. 
  • Past participation in APS activities. 
  • Potential contributions to the Society as a future officer.  
  • Diversity background to foster an ongoing pipeline of diverse leaders with a diverse set of competencies. 
• ALL DISCUSSIONS ARE CONFIDENTIAL. 
• The LDC provides a slate with: 
  • Two names for president-elect. 
  • Six names for Board directors. 
  • Two names for treasurer. 
• The LDC will contact unsuccessful candidates who did not make the ballot. 
• The CEO will contact the successful candidates who will be on the ballot.

January 9, 2025—‘Get to Know the Candidates’ town hall meeting for membership

• A 90-minute town hall event will be held where each potential candidate will provide a brief description of their intent.
• Members will be able to ask questions.

January 10, 2025—APS-wide Election Begins and Stays Open for 30 Days

• The membership receives a ballot with:
  • Two names for president-elect.
  • Six names for Board directors.
• APS dues-paid members will choose one candidate for president-elect and three for directors.

February 9, 2025—Elections Close

April 2025—Announcement of New Officers at the American Physiology Summit

• Email sent to membership.
• Notice will be placed in The Physiologist Magazine and News Update

April 23, 2025—New President-elect and directors attend the Board of Directors Spring Meeting

• New officers attend the Summit as guests.
Terms begin at the close of the annual business meeting at the Summit.

Eligibility for President-elect

Must have prior experience on APS Council as an elected councilor or a committee chair who served as ex officio on Council for the following committees: Center for Physiology Education Advisory Board, Diversity Equity & Inclusion, Finance, Program Working Group (formerly the Joint Program Committee), Publication, Section Advisory or Science Policy. Candidates for president-elect must complete their term on Council before being eligible for president-elect.

Eligibility for Directors

Should have recent experience serving the Society by participating in one or more of the following: APS section or interest group steering committees, an APS committee, APS publications as an editor or editorial board member, or an APS task force or other special project.