Membership Election Process

Candidate Nomination

The membership Committee Chair sends out a note to formally announce the call for nominations during the summer, but candidates can be submitted by members any time during the year, to be included in the following election process. In order to nominate a candidate, each nominator must follow the following three steps:

Step 1: Obtain a “seconder” for the nomination from among the current members. The “seconding” member simply endorses the nomination; no additional supporting statement is needed. Each nomination needs at least one, and at most three, seconders.

Step 2: Submit an online form with the name of your nominee and other basic nomination details. There you will have a chance to indicate if you prefer to submit the nominating statement via the Online 2023 Membership Nomination Form or by email. Please note: this is a new step in the process, designed to minimize the possibility of a nomination being lost in the digital void.

Step 3: Provide a concise and persuasive one-page nominating statement explaining clearly why the candidate should be approved for membership. The nomination narrative can be transmitted via the online form in Step 2, or by emailing a completed Word document form (attached to this email) to new_member_nomination@academyofdiplomacy.org.

In light of the fact that membership is not automatic, the Academy encourages nominators to think carefully whether/when they choose to inform a potential candidate that she/he is being nominated. Various AAD members who frequently submit nominations seem to have their own individual strategies, often quite different, in terms of what they share with potential nominees and when. We simply encourage a potential nominator to consider carefully what strategy is most appropriate for an individual candidate.

Candidate Review and New Member Election

The Academy’s selection process is rigorous and selective. Once the submission deadline has passed, usually in early September, all nominations are reviewed and screened by the Membership Committee, to make sure that they fulfill the membership criteria detailed in our bylaws. The committee presents a final list to the Board of Directors for approval and decision on voting numbers.

The full membership is then polled through electronic ballot in which some, but not all, of the persons listed on the ballot will be elected to membership. A packet of nominations of the eligible candidates is provided to help members select candidates they may not know personally. Members are requested to vote for a maximum number of candidates from all the nominations. The election deadline is usually between the end of September and mid-October. The election notice will arrive by email, with a couple of reminders before the voting deadline. The votes are anonymous.

New Member Acceptance

The once the results are tallied, membership is offered to the agreed upon number of candidates with the most votes. Once they accept membership, new members are invited to events at the end of the current year, including the Annual Awards luncheon in the Benjamin Franklin Room at State. New members start owing dues the following year, even though their acceptance date marks their formal membership status with the Academy. A new member luncheon is organized in February for the new members to meet the Academy’s Board of Directors and Committee Chairs.

Questions or need assistance?

Contact the Chair of the AAD Membership Committee, currently Janice Jacobs– jljinva@gmail.com or AAD Program Director, currently Maria Reissaus –mreissaus@academyofdiplomacy.org