The 2026 Call for Candidate Applications for the 2026-2027 Board of Directors and 2027 Nominating Committee is now open.

This year, ASBH will elect a Secretary, three Directors at Large, a Trainee/Student Director, and a member of the Nominating Committee.

ASBH seeks leaders to serve the Society who are knowledgeable about effective governance; able to work well with others in carrying out ASBH's vision, mission, and goals; committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion; and able to devote the necessary time to the Society's work.

Once the candidate application period opens, qualified ASBH members will be invited to complete and submit a candidate application no later than Friday, May 1, 2026. The candidate application requires candidates to outline their qualifications and competencies in light of those deemed necessary for ASBH leadership. The information provided will be used by the Nominating Committee to select the most qualified candidates for the 2026 ballot. If you are chosen as a candidate for the ballot, the information you have provided in your application may be included on the ballot for consideration by ASBH voting members.

This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

2026-2027 Board of Directors and 2027 Nominating Committee Elections Candidate Qualifications

ASBH strives to provide visionary leadership that reflects the diverse interests and needs of its members. The 2026 Nominating Committee seeks candidates with essential competencies who will also fulfill the expectations required of all ASBH leadership. Candidates will be asked to provide information demonstrating their competency and willingness to meet expectations as a part of the candidate application.

Essential Competencies

• Knowledge of effective governance, including education or training on organizational governance issues, prior experiences (especially leadership experience) with high functioning committees or boards whose function is organizational governance, and/or understanding of the methods and processes required for effective leadership.
• Strategic orientation, including willingness and ability to think and act proactively; understand the forces that will affect ASBH over the next 5 to 10 years; establish a vision and strategy to address these forces and their impacts; and help the organization align its work and resources with current ASBH strategic initiatives.
• Embrace Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, support ASBH’s DEI Framework. including the willingness and ability to demonstrate open-minded, respectful curiosity about others; acknowledge self imperfections accurately with an orientation towards self-growth; to express empathy and thoughtfulness.

ASBH Leadership Expectations

• Commitment, including willingness and ability to devote the time necessary for board work; to prepare prior to board meetings; to appropriately participate during meetings; and to reliably keep commitments.
• Effective decision making, including willingness and ability to establish clear guidelines and processes for decision-making; to gather information systematically rather than relying on anecdotal, informal information-sharing; to encourage adoption of best practices from other settings; to exercise sound judgment on difficult and complex matters; and to take responsibility for decision-making.
• Integrity, including willingness and ability to serve as a role model for civility, honesty, and professional behavior; to subjugate self-interests or career interests for the good of ASBH; and to avoid conflicts of interest that might compromise your role on the ASBH Board.
• Interpersonal skills, including willingness and ability to listen and understand points of view of other board members and stakeholders; to build and maintain relationships with ASBH members and others in the bioethics and health humanities community; to show respect for others regardless of personal likes or dislikes; and to effectively deal with conflict.

Board of Director Candidate Applications are available for the following positions:

• Secretary (2-year term; 1 position open)
• Director-at-Large (3-year term; 3 positions open)
• Trainee/Student Director (2-year term; 1 position open)

Nominating Committee Member Candidate Applications are available for:

• Nominating Committee Member (2-year term; 1 position open)

Deadline: Completed Applications must have been received by May 1, 2026.

General Elected Leader Criteria

The Nominating Committee will consider the following criteria when creating the slate of candidates:

• Candidates should have the minimum number of years’ experience as active members of ASBH deemed appropriate by the Board of Directors:
  • Board of Directors, Secretary: 5 years
  • Trainee/Student Director: 2 years
  • Nominating Committee: 2 years
• Trainee/Student Directors must also have attended at least 2 annual conferences, and they must maintain student or trainee status for a minimum of 6 months after the term begins. 
• Candidates should be able to fulfill ASBH Board Member Competencies, Expectations, and Responsibilities as set by the Board of Directors.
• Consideration should be given to those members who have a previous history of service to ASBH, including but not limited to membership on, or leadership of, ASBH committees, task forces, affinity groups, or prior experience on the Board of Directors. Leadership or active membership in other organizations may also be considered.
• In general, an individual should not serve contiguous terms of office. An exception can be made when another qualified candidate cannot be found.
• The slate should include up to 2 of the best-qualified candidates for each open position; contested elections are not required.

Every candidate should be well qualified to serve the Society if elected. The Committee will take care to be well-informed of all nominees' qualifications and backgrounds. The Committee will ensure that all nominees are judged equally.

General Board Member Responsibilities

Board members are expected to:

• Serve their entire term unless elected to a new position;
• Participate in bi-monthly 1-2 hour conference calls and 1-2 day in-person meetings of the Board of Directors in the Spring and Fall;
• Be responsive to requests from the President for additional leadership responsibilities;
• Contribute to a high-functioning Board by listening to peers, working cooperatively, treating peers with respect, and building consensus whenever possible.

Additionally,

• The President-Elect, Secretary, and Treasurer serve on the Executive Committee.
• The Secretary is expected to review drafts of minutes of Board calls and meetings and e-blast announcements to the ASBH community. 
• The Treasurer is expected to:
  • Work with the ASBH staff to prepare and present to the Board the annual budget
  • Review and present to the Board monthly financial statements as appropriate
  • Present a financial report at the annual members’ meeting

General Nominating Committee Responsibilities

Nominating Committee members are expected to: 

• Spend several hours reviewing nomination forms and nominee statements
• Actively communicate with other Committee members via email
• Be responsive to requests from the Committee chair
• Actively participate in four or five 1-2 hour conference calls in the Spring as needed
• Contact nominees and/or candidates as directed by the Committee chair 

The Nominating Committee has the responsibility to put forward to the membership a slate of best-qualified candidates with the experience, skills, and competencies needed on the Board of Directors as well as the Nominating Committee to achieve a balanced, diverse, and high-functioning Board.

Every candidate should be well qualified to serve the Society if elected. The Committee will take care to be well-informed of all nominees' qualifications and backgrounds. The Committee will ensure that all nominees are judged equally.

Process and Timeline

During the month of April, the call for nominations opens and members may nominate themselves or others as candidates for the Board of Directors and Nominating Committee. When the call closes in May, the Committee reviews all nominations and may request candidate interviews throughout May and June. The committee then builds a ballot putting forward the best- qualified candidates. The election takes place in July and the candidates and membership are informed of the results in August.

Toby Schonfeld, PhD, Chair 
Virginia Bartlett, PhD MA 
Sabrina Derrington, MD MA 
Aaron Levine, PhD
Katherine Wasson, PhD MPH HEC-C