Nominations for the 2027 Board of Directors will open on October 28.
The Society of Behavioral Medicine (SBM) Leadership Identification and Inclusion Committee is pleased to request nominations for three Board of Directors positions:
- President-Elect (1-year term as President-Elect, ascends to President for one year, and then serves as Past-President the following year)
- Secretary/Treasurer (3-year term)
- Member-Delegate (3-year term)
The roles and responsibilities for each position are described below:
PRESIDENT-ELECT
Duties:
- Serves a one-year term beginning in March 2027, ascends to president for one year, and then serves as past-president the following year
- Serves as chairperson at any meeting, other than the annual meeting, in the absence of the president
- Performs the duties of the president in case of absence, disability, or resignation
- Makes council and committee chair appointments, subject to Board confirmation
- Works closely with the president on all executive matters
- As president, attends and schedules meetings of the Board, the annual meeting of the society, and any special meetings that may be called; prepares the agendas for the meetings; is responsible in all matters, stated or implied, that are related to welfare, stature, and proper operation of the society; and performs other duties as necessarily incident to the office of president or as may be prescribed by the Board
- As president, ensures the Board stays focused on forward thinking, setting long-term goals, monitoring achievement of those goals, and adhering to SBM values
- As immediate past-president, presides at the annual Board meeting in the absence of the president, and at all meetings in the absence of both the president and president-elect
- Here’s what our past presidents say the position is really like
Qualifications:
- Current SBM member
- Strongly encouraged to have served on the SBM Board within the last 5 years
- Strongly encouraged to have attended at least one of the past three SBM Annual Meetings
- The ideal candidate should have a demonstrated track record of leadership, thinking long-term, and facilitating teamwork. These are the most important characteristics needed in an SBM president.
- Candidates do NOT need to have a new vision or project. We do appreciate thinking big and there are lots of opportunities to do so as a Board member; however, candidates should consider instead how they would be a good steward of SBM's strategic goals and how they would be a conduit from the membership to the Board.
SECRETARY/TREASURER
Duties:
- Serves a three-year term beginning in March 2027
- Keeps minutes of all meetings of the board and membership, and/or reviews minutes recorded by staff
- Keeps the membership records of the society and is custodian of all contracts, assignments, and other legal documents and records, with assistance from staff
- Is responsible for all funds, securities, receipts, and authorized disbursements of the society
- Shall render to the president and to the board, whenever requested, an account of the financial condition of the society
- Serves as Chair of the Finance Committee
- Drafts and reviews the annual society budget and tax forms, with assistance from staff
- Serves on the Executive Committee as a voting member
Qualifications:
- Current SBM member
- Strongly encouraged to have served on an SBM council or committee, or have been a SIG chair, within the last 5 years
- Strongly encouraged to have attended at least one of the past three SBM Annual Meetings
- Candidates do NOT need to have a new vision or project. We do appreciate thinking big and there are lots of opportunities to do so as a Board member; however, candidates should consider instead how they would be a good steward of SBM's strategic goals and how they would be a conduit from the membership to the Board.
MEMBER DELEGATE
Duties:
- Serves a three-year term beginning in March 2027
- Represents the broad-based interests of the membership
- Serves on the Executive Committee as a voting member
- Here’s what past member delegates had to say about the position
Qualifications:
- Current SBM member
- Strongly encouraged to have served on an SBM council or committee, or have been a SIG chair, within the last 5 years
- Strongly encouraged to have attended at least one of the past three SBM Annual Meetings
- Candidates do NOT need to have a new vision or project. We do appreciate thinking big and there are lots of opportunities to do so as a Board member; however, candidates should consider instead how they would be a good steward of SBM's strategic goals and how they would be a conduit from the membership to the Board.
COMMITMENT TO DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION
The Leadership Identification and Inclusion Committee strongly encourages nominees from diverse backgrounds for leadership positions. Nominees should be able to address what role diversity will play in the leadership role and/or how they would aim to address gaps in diversity within SBM. SBM defines diversity as:
“the collective ways in which people and organizations are different and similar with respect to demographic characteristics, values, beliefs, experiences, backgrounds, and behaviors. The dimensions of diversity include, but are not limited to, race, ethnicity, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, language, culture, religion, mental and physical ability, class, education, immigration status, and professional discipline.”
The Leadership Identification and Inclusion Committee seeks nominees that maintain SBM's strength and diversity as the nation's premiere multi-disciplinary society promoting rigorous basic and applied behavioral medicine research and its application to practice and policy. Therefore, nominees collectively should have backgrounds, skills and interests that span the full spectrum from basic bio-behavioral, to intervention, dissemination and policy research, and address needs in health care settings, communities and diverse populations.
The Leadership Identification and Inclusion welcomes nominees from any professional setting, from academia to government to industry and beyond. SBM maintains a robust conflict of interest and disclosure policy for leaders. Individuals concerned about any potential conflict should email Executive Director Lindsay Bullock at lbullock@sbm.org for guidance on this policy and a possible conflict management plan.
PROCESS
Nominators and nominees must be current voting members of SBM (full, fellow, emeritus, affiliate, or transitional member types). Need to join or renew? Visit sbm.org/membership.
- The person who receives the most nominations for each position will automatically be included on the official voting form as a candidate. The SBM Leadership Identification and Inclusion Committee will select at least one other candidate for each position. The committee may select from others who were nominated or may select any other eligible member of its own choosing. The committee shall strive to maintain balanced professional representation on the SBM Board and to ensure the Board has the necessary expertise and skills to achieve its goals. An official voting form will then be posted online for voting members to cast their votes.
- SBM recommends anyone who wants to campaign for a position to start early.
- Candidates are prohibited from using the listservs to campaign and SIGs can’t endorse individual candidates.