Nomination and Appointment Process

In carrying out the nomination and application process, AHLA vigorously applies the nondiscrimination principle embodied in the Association’s Statement of Commitment to Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Accessibility. All applicants are asked to attest to their review of this statement. During the application process, members are asked to provide demographic information. Each question includes the choice of answering “prefer not to answer or to self-identify,” which is an acceptable answer.

Members wanting to be considered for appointment must complete and submit a Candidate Information Form. The Nominating Committee recommends nominees for the Board of Directors, Nominating Committee, and Fellows, and the Board of Directors vote on these appointments. For all other leadership positions, the President-Elect (in consultation with the President Elect-Designate, Chief Executive Officer, and staff liaisons) makes the final decision on all appointments. Apply for or view current volunteer opportunities here.

Potential leaders are asked to review, understand, and meet the expectations, qualifications needed, and potential issues preventing appointment before completing their application as outlined below.

When applying to be a leader of a Practice Group, the member must belong to the PG to which they are applying.
When applying for service on a Conference Planning Committee, the member should have previously attended or spoken at the relevant conference, other AHLA conferences, or similar programs outside of AHLA.
Applicants may be considered for service in another leadership group (e.g., Council, Conference Planning Committee, or Practice Group), depending on needs, openings, and alignment with a member’s skills and experience.
Due to a high level of interest in serving in a leadership position, a member is appointed to only one position at a time.
Terms are often staggered for those serving to prevent everyone rotating off at the same time; as a result, the number of openings may fluctuate in any given year.
While serving in a leadership position, the individual must be an AHLA member in good standing.

Issues that may prevent selection include working in the same firm/organization as an existing member of the same leadership group, an incomplete application, or current leadership in a competing organization, which would create a conflict of interest and prevent the applicant from fulfilling their responsibilities to AHLA.

Leadership Qualifications

Qualifications Specific to the Board of Directors

A minimum of five years working in the health law industry.
Demonstrated level of service to AHLA and/or positions of responsibility, prior board or governance experience, or demonstrated leadership within the candidate’s own organization, or with another professional affiliation.
Recognized accomplishments in the health law profession/industry/community.
Demonstrated experience implementing or supporting inclusion, diversity, equity, and accessibility programs within AHLA, the candidate’s own organization or with another professional or personal affiliation.

Qualifications Specific to Other AHLA Leaders

A minimum of two years working in the health law industry, unless noted.
Demonstrated level of volunteer service (e.g., author, speaker, mentor, etc.) to AHLA and/or another organization.
Recognized accomplishments in the health law profession/industry/community.
Demonstrated experience implementing or supporting inclusion, diversity, equity, and accessibility programs within AHLA, the candidate’s own organization or with another professional or personal affiliation.

Expectations

General Expectations for Leadership

An ability and willingness to serve one, five-year term (Board of Directors) or one, three-year term (other AHLA leaders).
Actively work to advance and promote inclusion, diversity, equity, and accessibility within AHLA.
Support AHLA’s mission on an annual basis with a combination of volunteer time and a monetary donation that is meaningful to the leader, as a recognition of commitment to AHLA.

Expectations Specific to the Board of Directors

Commit to attending and being fully prepared for four meetings of the Board annually and to be an active and inquisitive participant on Board committees, work groups, and related projects as assigned.
Act with due care for AHLA, and perform Board responsibilities loyally, in good faith and in a manner reasonably believed to be in the best interest of the Association. Provide effective oversight of AHLA’s compliance with all applicable internal rules and codes of conduct, and external legal requirements. Be vigilant in maintaining AHLA’s financial well-being and develop an appropriate level of understanding of the financial statements that may be presented to the Board for discussion and approval.
Support AHLA’s educational activities by encouraging their creative development, member involvement, and personal participation. Abide by the Conflict of Interest Policy and Non-Harassment Policy.

Expectations Specific to Other AHLA Leaders

Commit to attending and being fully prepared for meetings of your leadership group, and to be an active and inquisitive participant on any subgroups/work groups and related projects as assigned.
Act with due care for AHLA, and perform leadership responsibilities loyally, in good faith, and in a manner reasonably believed to be in the best interest of the Association.
Support AHLA’s effort to expand the volunteer and leadership pipeline by engaging members in content development and networking.
Participate in unconscious bias training provided by AHLA, using inclusive language, and abiding by the Conflict of Interest Policy and Non-Harassment Policy requirements.
Attend and actively participate in AHLA leadership orientation and training sessions specific to your group and role.
Support AHLA’s educational activities by promoting them to your professional network, and through your own participation and consumption.

Board Recruitment and Selection Process

Board of Directors

AHLA administers an annual Call for Leaders to include new Directors. Terms of Directors are staggered to prevent everyone rotating off at the same time. As a result, the number of openings may fluctuate in any given year. Members can self-nominate or nominate a colleague. Anyone who wants to be considered as a candidate for Director must apply by completing and submitting a Candidate Information Form. All forms will be evaluated using the same criteria.

The Nominating Committee recommends Directors based on surveys to both the Board of Directors and senior staff of nominated members and a thoughtful and intentional review of each application, with a goal of ensuring that AHLA’s Board composition reflects diversity in gender, age, race/ethnicity, sexual orientation, disability, veteran status, geography, skill set, professional expertise or specialty, workplace setting, and leadership characteristics.

Candidates’ applications are evaluated on various criteria such as, but not limited to, individuals who can demonstrate:

High integrity who are supportive of AHLA’s mission
Consistently high level of service to AHLA (example, governance support, networking support, Practice Group leadership, conference planning, speaking, writing, etc.)
Recognized achievements in the field of health law
Diversity that compliments the current Board of Directors

Candidates for the Board of Directors are asked to review, understand, and be able to meet Board expectations, have the qualifications needed, and identify if there are issues preventing selection before completing their application as outlined below.

Nominating Process for the Board of Directors

AHLA has enlisted the support of The Diversity Movement, a consultant that helps organizations integrate DEI strategies into the core of their businesses, to identify ways to minimize bias throughout each step of both the nomination and selection process. In general, the following nominating process is followed:

A call for nominations where members and stakeholders of AHLA can self-nominate or be nominated by others.
All candidates complete a Candidate Information Form so that the Nominating Committee is provided with comparative information for each candidate.
Once the Call for Leaders closes, to mitigate bias, the Nominating Committee independently reviews de-identified applications against an agreed-upon rubric.
The Nominating Committee meets to discuss the pool of candidates and identifies an initial slate of approximately ten individuals, drawing on all dimensions of diversity, including from underrepresented groups defined as racial or ethnic minority, disability, or LGBTQ+.
These de-identified applications are sent to each Board Member and senior management who draws on the same rubric used by the Nominating Committee. The scoring is sent back to the Nominating Committee for further discussion and to determine a final slate, which is presented to the Board of Directors for a vote of acceptance.
Once the final slate is approved by the Board of Directors, all candidates are notified of the status of their application.
The Association announces the results to the membership at large.

Nominating Committee Recruitment and Selection Process

Nominating Committee

The President serves as the Committee’s Chair. This body also consists of the last two past Presidents, the President-Elect, and the President-Elect Designate. An at-large member from AHLA’s Board of Directors and an at-large member from the general membership serve one-year, non-renewable terms. While serving in an at-large position, the members agree to be disqualified from any nomination while serving on the Nominating Committee.

The annual call for leaders includes an opening for an at-large member drawn from the membership. The Nominating Committee recommends the at-large member based on a general review of the candidate’s involvement in the Association, which is evaluated on various criteria such as, but not limited to, individuals who can demonstrate:

High integrity who are supportive of AHLA’s mission
Consistently high level of service to AHLA (example, governance support, networking support, Practice Group leadership, conference planning, speaking, writing, etc.)
Diversity that compliments the Association’s membership

President-Elect Designate Recruitment and Selection Process

President-Elect Designate (PED) Recruitment Process

Individuals from the junior, senior, and immediate past classes of the Board of Directors interested in being considered must complete and submit an online PED Candidate Information Form.

All applications are evaluated based on various criteria such as, but not limited to, individuals who can demonstrate:

The ability to motivate teams to achieve goals
Innovative and creative thinking
Vision for the Association and poise to speak on that vision to the public
Consensus building, both with peers and staff
Professional acumen based on their role within the health law profession
Financial acumen
Governance knowledge and experience
Flexible leadership

PED Selection Process

Staff forwards the applications to members of the Nominating Committee along with the scoring rubric. Each member independently scores the applications.
The Nominating Committee members complete the rubric.
Staff compile the scoring rubrics (average = total of points issued by each evaluator, added together, then divided by the number of evaluators).
Each scoring rubric is weighed equally, i.e., specific Nominating Committee members’ scores are not weighted more than another committee member. The names of the Nominating Committee members in relationship to their individual scores are NOT shared. Rather, just the scores and averages are shared, with the names of the Nominating Committee members being de-identified.
Staff share the information with the Nominating Committee who then discusses the candidates. Information provided to the Nominating Committee includes the following: Gender | Age | Race | Ethnicity | Sexual Orientation | Disability status | Veteran status | Veteran status | Geographic location (state/region) | Professional category | Workplace setting | Primary Practice Area
The applications and the scoring rubric are sent to the Board and senior management. Upon completion, the rubrics are tablulated by staff.
Staff average the scores and share the information with the Nominating Committee who use this information as one data point to select the PED nominee.
The PED nominee chosen by the Nominating Committee is sent to the Board for approval.
The candidate selected receives a call from the President, immediately following the Nominating Committee’s decision. All applicants, who are not selected are also notified by the President.
After the Board has voted on the slate of new leaders, the Board of Directors reviews the revised nomination process and assesses whether the nomination process was more transparent, whether the process was effective in increasing diversity, and whether any changes should be made for the following year.

Development and Advancement Council Appointment Process

Elected leaders of the Development and Advancement Council (DAC) help develop policies and procedures for Board action related to gift solicitation and recognition, including planned gift guidelines when no planned giving committee exists.

Qualifications Specific to the DAC

Fundraising or donor development experience, preferred.

Dispute Resolution Review Board Appointment Process

Dispute Resolution Service Review Board (DRSRB) leaders rule on petitions to remove an arbitrator who is allegedly unfit to serve because of a conflict of interest, a mental or physical impairment, or conduct that calls his or her fairness or impartiality into question.

Qualifications Specific to DRRB

Significant experience in the arbitration of health law disputes.

Dispute Resolution Service Council Appointment Process

Dispute Resolution Service Council (DRSC) leaders establish policies and procedures for AHLA’s Dispute Resolution Service and advise and assist in promoting the service to members and non-members. Activities include recruiting, retaining, and evaluating neutrals; and periodically revising the AHLA Rules of Procedure for Arbitration in response to new information and developments.

Qualifications Specific to DRS Council

An interest and experience in the use of processes other than litigation to resolve potential and actual disputes.
Intermediate level of experience in alternate dispute resolution preferred.

Journal of Health & Life Sciences Law Editorial Board Appointment Process

The Editorial Board of the Journal of Health and Life Sciences Law identifies potential authors and topics that result in peer-reviewed law articles that are practical, timely, and well-analyzed.

Practice Group Appointment Process

Practice Group (PG) leaders identify educational topics, recruit speakers and authors, and facilitate the production of resources and publications to support its PG members in meeting the unique challenges of their discipline.

Qualifications Specific to PG's

Practice Group leaders must be members of the respective Practice Group.
A minimum of two years working in the health law industry, preferably within the topical area or setting of the Practice Group.

Conference Planning Committee Appointment Process

Conference Planning Committee leaders assist with creating the curriculum and selecting topics and speakers for their program and work with AHLA staff to organize other facets

of the following conferences:

Advising Providers: Legal Strategies for AMCs, Physicians, and Hospitals
Annual Meeting
Fraud and Compliance Forum
Fundamentals of Health Law
Health Care Transactions
In-House Counsel Conference
Institute on Medicare and Medicaid Payment Issues
Long Term and Post-Acute Care Law and Compliance
Tax Issues for Health Care Organizations
The Complexities of AI in Health Care

Qualifications Specific to Conference Planning Committees

Past attendance to the relevant conference(s) or any AHLA conference, preferred.

Early Career Professionals Council Appointment Process

The Early Career Professionals Council (ECPC) coordinate opportunities for engagement of students and early career professionals. The Council members facilitate the creation of professional development content and host monthly networking events. In addition, they serve as community ambassadors for the Early Professionals Community.

Qualifications Specific to ECPC

Should have less than 10 years of professional experience when appointed.

Women’s Leadership Council Appointment Process

The Women's Leadership Council (WLC) coordinate opportunities for engagement of women within AHLA. The Council members facilitate the creation of professional development content. In addition, they host monthly virtual networking events as well as breakfast and luncheon panels, and informal networking events at several AHLA Conferences. In addition, they serve as community ambassadors for the Advancing Women in Health Law Community.

Early Career Professional Delegate to the Board of Directors

The Delegate serves one, two-year term in a non-voting role on the Board of Directors. The Delegate attends Board meetings (virtual and in-person), remains informed and shares information about the Early Career Professionals Council’s activities, and is actively engaged and participates in Board activities. The Delegate may be asked to serve on one of the Board Committees and participate in special activities.

Please note: Submissions for this position will open in September for terms beginning the following July and lasting for two years.