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How to Get Involved with VASTA

 

There are many ways to engage with VASTA, and we would love for you to be involved at the level that suits you:

  1. First, get familiar with all your Exclusive Member Benefits.
  2. Consider joining an Interest Group (ArtsCore, BizCore, or EduCore) and/or participating in our Discussion Forums;
  3. Attend our annual conference;
  4. To get even more involved:
  • Check out our officer opportunities below for current, specific openings on VASTA's volunteer, member-led team;
  • Find out if a committee could benefit from your energy and talents by reaching out directly to a Committee Chair;
  • Contact the Symposia Directors if you’d like to learn how you can help at the conference;
  • Contribute to the Voice and Speech Review by writing an article or review, or contact the Editor-in-Chief to find out more about supporting the journal;

Feel free to reach out to the Membership Connections Committee with any questions.

 

 

Current VASTA Officer Opportunities

 

VASTA Archivist
VASTA's Archivist is an Officer who reports directly to the Board of Directors. Karen Kopryanski has been serving as VASTA's Archivist and is ready to hand the torch to the next Archival leader. The person for this position is organized, a self-starter, interested in the history of the Association and keen on collating materials for the Archive. An interest in digitization and data organization would be beneficial. The current physical archives are located on the campus of Virginia Commonwealth University. 

If you or someone you know is interested in the role, reach out to archives@vasta.org.



Investments Officer
The VASTA Investments Officer oversees the VASTA Investments account, which was established to secure a strong financial basis for the ongoing work of the Association. Promotes the goals of the Association by providing financial oversight in the best interests of the organization and its endeavors.

Lynn Watson has been serving as VASTA's Investment Officer since 2018. Thank you, Lynn for your service! A note from Lynn: "I feel it is time to find another VASTA member who is versed in investing or would like to learn about it. I think it is important to have someone in this position who will:

  1.  focus on being one of the account signatories and do the necessary paperwork to change signatories as officers and presidents rotate on and off the board
  2. liaise with VASTA's financial advisor
  3. serve on the Financial Oversight Committee and report to the board
  4. stay current on the markets
  5. become familiar with the brokerage site, check/report on investments periodically, including running reports and analyses on the site.

If the next person is not well-versed in investing, I am happy to work with an Associate Investments Officer who would move into the position. This position is an excellent opportunity for someone who has basic investing knowledge and would like to learn more."

If you or someone you know would be the right fit for this role, please fill out this form: https://forms.gle/skpvd3TDxzg4rdbm7



Financial Oversight Committee Member-at-Large
The Financial Oversight Committee’s job is to look at VASTA’s financial health, conferring with our Director of Operations, and to then make recommendations to the board of directors for their discussion and vote. This is valuable work for the organization in that it takes a good in-depth look at financial issues, discusses the ramifications of each, then compiles and streamlines them for the board to consider (Description provided by Betty Moulton circa 2020). The committee typically meets a minimum of four times each year. 

If you or someone who you know is the right for this role, please reach out to current President-elect Adi Cabral (acabral@vasta.org). 



VASTA MD
Dr. Yolanda Heman-Ackah served as the Voice and Speech Trainer's MD from 2003 to 2022. In Dr. Heman-Ackah's time at VASTA the organization maintained a VASTA MD column in the VASTA Voice, and maintained an inbox for members to send questions. With the founding of VASTA's HealthCore, the VASTA MD will have the opportunity to work closely with members specifically interested in Voice Science and Health.  The role may be shaped by the new MD's vision and initiatives. The Officer would report directly to the Board of Directors and the Presidential Line. 

If you or someone you know is right for this role, reach out directly to VASTA's president Antonio Ocampo-Guzman at aocampo-guzman@vasta.org.



Awards and Grants Committee Members-at-Large
VASTA's Awards and Grants Committee is responsible for all aspects of awards within the Association including announcing open submissions, deciding on winners, and documenting outcomes. The Committee organizes and facilitates awards including but not limited to the Dorothy Mennen, Member Appreciation Award, Clyde Vinson Award, Member Enrichment Grants (MEGs), VASTA Conference Travel Awards, Conference High School Teacher Award. The Committee is led by a Chair and Associate Chair who have typically served within the Committee in previous years. It is important to the Mission, Vision, and Values of the organization that all committees have representation from multiple perspectives, identities, and geographical locations. 

If you or someone you know is right for the Committee, reach out directly to Chair, Brianne Taylor at btaylor@vasta.org.



Mentorship Initiative Leadership Team Members
The Mentorship Leadership Team is in need of members who are looking for leadership and facilitation opportunities within our community. The VASTA Mentorship Initiative program seeks to open avenues of mentorship and peer support to VASTA members. The initiative facilitates events, gathers resources, and sets up facilities to allow our newer members to gain valuable insight from our more experienced members. 

The initiative attempts to facilitate semi-formal relationships between peers at similar career points who wish to exchange ideas, advice, and experiences with those facing similar challenges and milestones. "We want to empower all members by harbouring a culture of knowledge-sharing, open communication and championing our most valuable resource - ourselves!" It is important to the Mission, Vision, and Values of the organization that all committees have representation from multiple perspectives, identities, and geographical locations. 

If you or someone you know could serve on the leadership team for this initiative, reach out to Founder Ursula Meyer at mentorship@vasta.org or the mentorship board liaison at ampollard@vasta.org.



Social Media Team Members
VASTA's newly formed Social Media Team could use a few more hands! This team spearheads content mining, content creation, digital marketing, and social media management, ensuring a stronger and more impactful VASTA presence in the increasingly digital world.

It's a fantastic opportunity to get more involved and contribute immensely to the work VASTA is doing! The objective of bringing this team together is to enlighten more people about VASTA as well as the voice and speech community through digital media. The structure of a social media team will also make these volunteer positions more scalable depending on the availability of each team member.

If you are interested in joining the social media team, please contact
socialmediateam@vasta.org.