Please also refer to the APA Operations (OPS) manual for additional information on the duties and responsibilities of Board Officers.

President

The President serves as ex-officio on a number of APA Committees and is an invited guest to Assembly meetings. The basic function of the President is to exercise leadership in APA by influencing and guiding the development of APA policy. Below is information regarding the duties and responsibilities of the President.

Responsibilities:

• Serve as Chairperson of the Board of Trustees and the Executive Committee.
• Serve as the Chief spokesperson for the Association.
• Chair Board meetings, keeping the focus at a strategic level and ensuring the Board continues to be a “learning board.”
• Serve as the Chairperson of the Distinguished Service Award (DSA) Workgroup.
• Work with the President-Elect, and CEO and Medical Director, to set priorities for the APA and formulate policy and develop initiatives to advance those priorities.
• Work closely with the Board and the CEO and Medical Director to address key strategic issues regarding the Association.
• Oversee the annual performance review and compensation process of the CEO and Medical Director.
• Participate as a member of the Board Executive Committee and make decisions for the Board between board meetings, when necessary, because of time sensitivity. Serve as sounding board for CEO between board meetings.

Preferred Experience/Expertise

• Having held leadership positions with fiscal responsibility.
• Experience managing and evaluating high level employees.
• Prior experience on non-profit and/or for-profit boards.
• Experience with strategic planning and tracking of strategic plans.
• Demonstrable knowledge of the health care industry and political process.
• Excellent public speaking skills.

Component Appointments (ex officio): APA Board of Trustees (5x year), Finance and Budget Committee, Investment Oversight Committee, Audit Committee, APA AMA Delegation (2x year).

President-Elect

The President-Elect serves as ex-officio on a number of APA Committees and is an invited guest to Assembly meetings. The President-Elect shall assume the office of the President at the conclusion of the annual meeting. If the President becomes unable to function because of absence or illness, the President-Elect shall act for the President. In the event of the resignation or death of the President, the President-Elect becomes President for the remainder of the vacant term and serves his or her own term. Below is information regarding the duties and responsibilities of the President-Elect.

Responsibilities:

• Exercise leadership in the APA by influencing and guiding the development of APA policy.
• Review applications of members interested in serving on APA components, standing committees, and workgroups. Select appointees based upon experience, potential for contribution to the committee, diversity in all forms (race, gender, gender identity, geography, practice area, etc.).
• Chair the Joint Reference Committee and ensure that Councils and components are performing in accordance with expectation and that policies are sound, necessary, and helpful to membership.
• Participate as a member of the Board Executive Committee and make decisions for the Board between board meetings, when necessary, because of time sensitivity. Serve as sounding board for CEO between board meetings.
• Work with the Board and CEO and Medical Director, to set priorities for the Association and to formulate policy and develop initiatives to advance those priorities.
• Serve as member of the compensation committee reviewing and evaluating CEO performance and compensation.
• Represent APA’s views on policy matters upon request.
• Ex-officio member of the APA Foundation Board of Directors

Recommended Experience/Expertise

• Having held leadership positions with fiscal responsibility.
• Experience making hiring decisions for a variety of positions.
• Experience managing and evaluating high level employees.
• Prior experience on non-profit and/or for-profit boards.
• Experience with strategic planning and tracking of strategic plans.
• Demonstrable knowledge of the health care industry and political process.
• Excellent public speaking skills.
• Ability to raise funds for the Foundation.

Appointments (ex officio): APA Board of Trustees (5x year), American Psychiatric Association Foundation Board of Directors (3x a year), JRC Chair (3x per year, ad hoc conference calls, email follow-up, APA AMA Alternate Delegation (2x year)

Secretary

The Secretary shall keep the records of the Association and perform all duties prescribed herein and those delegated by the Board of Trustees. The Secretary is elected in alternate years to the Treasurer.

In practice, most of the administrative work of the Secretary is performed by the administration of APA Central Office and records are permanently stored there. Staff support to the Secretary for Board matters is provided by the Department of Association Governance. The CEO and Medical Director has been designated as Assistant to the Secretary to sign routine administrative documents and other documents when directed by the Secretary.

Responsibilities:

• Maintain the records of the Association and perform all duties delegated by the Board of Trustees.
• Work with the President and APA Administration to prepare the agenda for the Board’s meetings.
• Certify the Board meeting minutes and prepare summaries of the official actions of the Board for yearly presentation at the Annual Business Meeting, and for publication in the American Journal of Psychiatry.
• Serve as Chairperson of the Conflict-of-Interest Committee.
• Review disclosures of potential conflicts of interest and make recommendations on how to ameliorate potential conflicts in compliance with APA’s policies.
• Certify the editions of the Bylaws.
• Oversee the process for the recall of officers or elected trustees.
• Participate as a member of the Board Executive Committee and make decisions for the Board between board meetings, when necessary, because of time sensitivity. Serve as sounding board for CEO between board meetings.

Recommended Experience/Expertise

• Expertise in conflict-of-interest identification and resolution.
• Exceptional listening skills and note taking skills.
• Experience managing and evaluating high level employees.
• Prior experience on non-profit and/or for-profit boards.
• Experience with strategic planning and tracking of strategic plans.
• Demonstrable knowledge of the health care industry.
• Keen attention to detail.

Treasurer

The Treasurer or his/her authorized agents shall receive, disburse, account for, and manage all monies of the Association under the general direction of the Board of Trustees. The Treasurer shall submit a financial statement each year to the Board and to the Assembly at the Annual Meeting. The Treasurer and his/her authorized agents shall be bonded in an amount to be determined by the Board. The Treasurer is elected in alternate years to the Secretary.

The Treasurer should have first-hand knowledge of the workings of APA and its organizational structure in order to fully understand the flow of business. He/she must have knowledge of the budget and all aspects of the Association's financial operations. It is desirable that he/she possess some knowledge of financial investments.

In practice, the work of collection, disbursement and accounting for APA funds is performed by the staff of the Division of Finance under the general supervision of the Chief Financial Officer. The Department keeps the accounts and prepares a monthly and annual summary of expenses and income. Expenditures from the account claimed for reimbursement must be supported by adequate documentation.

Responsibilities:

• Oversee the receipt, disbursement, accounting, and management of all monies of the Association under the general direction of the Board of Trustees.
• Submit a financial statement each year to the Board, the Assembly at the Annual Meeting, and the auditors.
• Serve as an ex-officio member of the Finance and Budget Committee and participate in the preparation of the Association’s budget.
• Serve as Chairperson of the Audit Committee.
• Have firsthand knowledge of the workings of APA and its organizational structure to fully understand the flow of business.
• Have knowledge of the budget and all aspects of the APA’s financial operations.
• Responsible for the investment of Association funds with the help of an Asset Management Advisory Committee and the CEO and Medical Director.
• Participate as a member of the Board Executive Committee and make decisions for the Board between board meetings, when necessary, because of time sensitivity. Serve as sounding board for CEO between board meetings.
• Ex-Officio member of the APA Foundation Board of Directors.

Recommended Experience/Expertise

• Experience developing and working with budgets.
• Experience with corporate investments and understanding of financial markets.
• Ability to read and question financial statements and transactions.
• Experience with financial audits.
• Ability to simplify complex financial transactions and present in a way that is understood by members without financial expertise.
• Excellent presentation skills.
• Ability to raise funds for the Foundation.

Minority/Underrepresented Representative (M/UR) Trustee

The Minority/Underrepresented Representative (M/UR) Trustee exercises leadership in the APA by influencing and guiding the development of APA policy through involvement in the Board of Trustees, the Assembly and APA.

Responsibilities:

• Serve as an expert for the Board on issues that are particularly relevant to M/UR members and/or patients.
• Ensure that Board policies and decisions consider their impact on M/UR members and patients.
• Bring the voice of M/UR members to the Board,
• Maintain relationship with M/UR caucuses and groups within APA to know the pulse of what is happening with individual groups.
• Ability to drive participation and consensus.

Recommended Experience/Expertise

• Working knowledge to the issues unique to each of the M/UR groups represented in APA.
• Working knowledge of mental health care access challenges patients in each of the M/UR groups represented in APA.
• Experience working collaboratively with colleagues in bringing attention to challenges faced by M/UR psychiatrists and patients.

Early Career Psychiatrist (ECP) Trustee

The Early Career Psychiatrist (ECP) Trustee exercises leadership in the APA by influencing and guiding the development of APA policy through involvement in the Board of Trustees, the Assembly and APA.

Responsibilities:

• Use significant network of ECP’s to gather information relating to member development, retention, and participation in APA.
• Lead community discussions among ECPs to facilitate information gathering and appreciation for the APA.
• Bring the voice of ECP’s to the Board and offer ECP perspective on policy issues.

Recommended Experience/Expertise

• Excellent presence and communication skills (including written, oral, and social media).
• Significant ECP network.
• Excellent listening skills.
• Prior leadership experience.
• Ability to drive participation and consensus.

Trustee-at-Large

The Trustee-at-Large exercises leadership in the APA by influencing and guiding the development of APA policy through involvement in the Board of Trustees, the Assembly and APA.

Responsibilities:

• Use significant network of members to learn about member issues and ideas and bring them (where appropriate) to the attention of the Board.

Recommended Experience/Expertise

• Excellent presence and communication skills (including written, oral, and social media).
• Significant psychiatry network.
• Excellent listening skills.
• Prior leadership experience.
• Ability to drive participation and consensus.

Area Trustees

An Area Trustees exercises leadership in APA by influencing and guiding the development of APA policy through involvement in the Board of Trustees, the Assembly and APA.

Responsibilities:

• Maintain contact with district branches in your area and represent Board’s perspective with the District Branches.
• Bring issues and concerns of district branches (where appropriate) to the Board for discussion.
• Attend area council meetings of the Assembly when possible and present the Board’s perspective there.

Recommended Experience/Expertise:

• Excellent presence and communication skills (including written, oral, and social media).
• Significant network among membership.
• Excellent listening skills.
• Prior leadership experience.
• Ability to drive participation and consensus.
• Prior leadership in district branch.

Resident-Fellow Member Trustee (RFMT)

The Resident-Fellow Member Trustee (RFMT) exercises leadership in APA by influencing and guiding the development of APA policy through involvement in the Board of Trustees, the Assembly and APA. The Resident-Fellow Member Trustee (RFMT) serves a one-year term.

Responsibilities:

• Use significant network of RFM’s to gather information relating to member development, retention, and participation in APA.
• Lead community discussions among RFM’s to facilitate information gathering and appreciation for the APA.
• Bring the voice of RFMs to the Board and offer RFM perspective on policy issues.
• Serve as a voting member of the Board.

Recommended Experience/Expertise:

• Excellent presence and communication skills (including written, oral, and social media).
• Significant RFM network.
• Excellent listening skills.
• Prior leadership experience.
• Ability to drive participation and consensus.

Resident-Fellow Member Trustee-Elect (RFMTE)

The Resident-Fellow Member Trustee-Elect (RFMTE) exercises leadership in APA by influencing and guiding the development of APA policy through involvement in the Board of Trustees, the Assembly and APA. The Resident-Fellow Member Trustee-Elect (RFMTE) shall automatically advance to the position of Resident-Fellow Member Trustee at the end of a year.

Responsibilities:

• Assist RFM Trustee in their duties specific to the RFM Community.
• Serve as a non-voting member of the Board.

Recommended Experience/Expertise:

• Excellent presence and communication skills (including written, oral, and social media).
• Significant RFM network.
• Excellent listening skills.
• Prior leadership experience.
• Ability to drive participation and consensus.

All Trustees

Every Trustee holds the responsibilities and should have the minimum qualifications listed below.

Responsibilities:

• Carefully review materials provided for Board Meetings, asking questions where necessary, and seeking additional information when needed.
• Attend and meaningfully participate in all Board Meetings.
• Serve as a voting member of the Board.
• Understand and comply with fiduciary obligations to APA.
• Keep abreast of mental health industry trends and changes.
• Understand APA’s finances and investments.
• Make informed decisions in the best interest of APA after discussion at the Board meetings.
• Participate in the formation and implementation of APA policies.
• Represent the decisions of the Board to voting constituency.
• Work with the Board and CEO/Medical Director to set strategic priorities for APA and formulate policy and initiatives to advance the priorities.
• Fully understand APA’s programs, policies, and priorities.
• Carry out the orders and resolutions of the Board and membership.
• Put APA’s best interest before your own.
• Work cooperatively with CEO/Medical Director and fairly evaluate their performance.
• Ensure that the official business of the Association is conducted in an appropriately efficient, effective, and legal manner.
• Comply with the APA Board of Trustees Responsibilities and Commitments Agreement.

Recommended Experience/Expertise:

• Independent judgment.
• Prior board experience.
• Leadership experience with budget responsibility.
• Deep knowledge of health care industry trends.
• Active involvement in organized medicine.
• Knowledge of fiscal management or ability and willingness to quickly learn it.
• Experience evaluating and supervising employees.
• Critical judgement and inquisitive mind.
• Working knowledge of parliamentary procedure.