The West Multnomah Soil & Water Conservation District Board of Directors can appoint Associate Directors to contribute additional expertise and energy to the board.
What is the role of an Associate Director?
Associate Directors are volunteers who reside within the District’s service area. They serve as non-voting members of the Board of Directors. Their input and contributions to discussions of District business are highly valued and considered by the board. Associate Directors may be appointed to serve on committees.
Find out if you live in our service area.
Associate Directors are encouraged to attend monthly board meetings, board trainings, and committee meetings, and to stay informed on local conservation issues. Additionally, Associate Directors may be invited to represent the District at local- and state-level meetings of various state associations and other conservation partners. They may also be asked to promote the District’s work when meeting with local residents, partner organizations, legislators, and any decision makers regarding the District’s funding. Associate Director service may be a pathway to an elected Director position.
Associate Directors are asked to:
- Bring valued skills, abilities, and perspectives to enhance the board’s effectiveness
- Represent WMSWCD, our Board of Directors, and our policies in the community
- Work to pursue the mission of WMSWCD
- Represent the interests of WMSWCD’s current and future service recipients
- Assist the District in better including and serving the interests of communities we have not yet fully engaged
What are the attributes, skills, or experiences of a successful Associate Director?
Associate Directors may be appointed by the Board of Directors if they are able to fulfill some of the following attributes:
- Demonstrated interest in natural resource conservation and a commitment to a voluntary, non-regulatory, collaborative approach to conservation
- Demonstrated interest and support for diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts
- Diverse perspective from historically marginalized communities through lived and/or professional experience
- Demonstrated community leadership experience learning from and relating respectfully with people of their own culture as well as those from other cultures
- Ability to build inclusive, community-based partnerships between individuals, agencies, and citizen groups with diverse interests and values
- Commitment to working as a team member with the District staff and Board
- Willingness to serve on a board committee or assist with other District-related activities
- Willingness to act as a District representative to other organizations
- Expertise in an area relevant to District operations and/or conservation programs. Examples include: community involvement and outreach, conservation practices, project management, accounting, law, personnel management, land and water management (farming, gardening, forestry, ecological restoration, etc.) and/or public policy.
What is the process for becoming an Associate Director?
- Interested candidates are asked to provide responses to the following, in the form at the bottom of this page.
- Contact information: Name, preferred name, home address, phone, email
- Your reason for wanting to serve as an Associate Director
- What you hope to get out of the experience
- Whether or not you have previously interacted with the District
- Your area(s) of expertise, experience, knowledge, skills, or interests relevant to service as an Associate Director
- Members of the Board of Directors will meet interested candidates to learn more about their qualifications, skills, and other relevant attributes. Candidates will also have an opportunity to ask any questions of board members.
- Potentially qualified candidates will be considered for appointment at a regular monthly board meeting. The board’s discussion of candidates will take place during a publicly available session.
- Associate Directors are appointed by majority vote and once appointed, continue to serve at the discretion of the Board of Directors, or until they choose to resign.
The West Multnomah Soil & Water Conservation District strives to build and sustain an inclusive environment that embraces and values diversity. We work to foster fairness, equity, inclusion, and belonging. Interested parties from diverse backgrounds are encouraged to inquire about becoming an Associate Director.
Learn more about us:
Our commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion
Our 2021-2025 Long Range Business Plan
