Board of Directors - Fall 2025

Amnesty International USA (AIUSA) is conducting an intensive, national search for a qualified, diverse, and representative slate of candidates for our Board of Directors. This is a volunteer role.

INSTRUCTIONS FOR APPLYING:  Interested applicants should submit a completed application and resume by September 20, 2024. A cover letter is optional but encouraged. 

COMMITMENT AND QUALIFICATIONS FOR THE ROLE

Commitment:

• A three-year term beginning in the Fall of 2025
• Dedicating considerable time and energy (approximately 6-8 hours per week) to upholding the AIUSA mandate and growing the human rights movement through governance service
• Commitment to serve all of AIUSA and forward the goals of the strategic plan
• This is a hybrid role which may require some travel and/or in-person attendance for Board meetings. AIUSA provides compensation for travel

Qualifications:

• Belief in the mission and vision of AIUSA
• Knowledge of domestic and international human rights trends and issues, with particular interest in those relevant to AIUSA
• Understanding the legal and ethical expectations for a nonprofit organization
• Preference for previous involvement in leadership roles (including organizational management roles, board or committee membership, and community leadership) and experience with strategy, governance, and finance
• Desire for intergenerational applicants (under age 35)

Applicants must be members of AIUSA in good standing at the time of the application deadline. This means making a donation of $25 or more. If you have questions about the status of your membership, please contact aimember@aiusa.org. AIUSA has a fee waiver that can be accessed by contacting Kristen Mensing at kmensing@aiusa.org

Board of Director Responsibilities:

• Develops a clear vision for the organization through policies that set goals and priorities for AIUSA
• Sets the annual budget for the organization in line with the strategic plan
• Establishes, evaluates, and revises organizational policies to realize the organizational vision
• Provides stewardship to the organization in partnership with the Executive Team
• Have appropriate and constructive working relationships with members, volunteers, staff, and members
• Ensures the financial health of the organization fiscal oversight 
• Supports fundraising efforts
• Serves as an ambassador for AIUSA in our communities and within the broader Amnesty and human rights movement

Phase 1: Candidate Search

• July: Call for applications for the Board of Directors
• September 20, 2024: Application deadline at 11:59pmEST

Phase 2: Candidate Selection

• October: Nominating Committee conducts interviews of prospective candidates and references
• November: Nominating Committee meets to determine proposed slate of final candidates
• January 2025: AIUSA Board ratifies and announces slate and opening of petition process

Phase 3: Candidate Election

• Late-April 2025: Election opens
• Mid-May 2025: Closing of election
• Mid-June 2025: AIUSA Board announces election results
• Early September 2025: Seating of new Board members

OUR COMMITMENT AS AN ANTI-RACIST ORGANIZATION AND TO INCLUSION, DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND ACCESSIBILITY (IDEA)

Dismantling white supremacy is central to the fight for human rights in the United States and around the world. As we mobilize staff and activists and work with partners to help transform the multiple systems where oppression operates in the world around us as part of our human rights mandate, anti-racism must be integral to our work. What does that mean for Amnesty International in the United States? It means using our people power to fight injustice and centering the voices and experiences of those most impacted by racist structures, beliefs, and laws. Fundamentally, it means doing our human rights work differently than it has been done before, because we know that who we work with, how we work, the work we do, and ultimately who we are, are all interconnected. As an international, intercultural, intergenerational and intersectional movement of activists committed to protecting and advancing human rights for all, Amnesty is deeply committed to Inclusion, Diversity, Equity & Accessibility (IDEA). To learn more about how we integrate IDEA into our programs and workplace, visit: https://www.amnestyusa.org/idea/

We are striving for a rich diversity of experience, expertise, and identities among our board members and there is no such thing as a perfect candidate. Please don’t permit any assumptions you might have about what constitutes an ideal Board member to keep you from applying if you believe that you could be a valuable contributor to the Board.

Nominating Committee Representatives

• Grace Eickmeyer, Midwest Representative and Committee Co-Chair - grace.eickmeyer@gmail.com
• Yasmin Elgoharry, Northeast Representative - yasmin.elgoharry@uconn.edu
• Emily Palmer, South Representative - emilypalmerciccoline@gmail.com
• Lora Randa, West Representative and Committee Co-Chair -loraranda@outlook.com
• Deanna Wilken, Mid-Atlantic Representative - wilken.deanna@gmail.com
• To Be Determined, At-Large Representative