IHLA Vice President Update

IHLA
7 days ago
4 min read

This memo outlines the constitutionally appropriate process that led to the IHLA Executive Committee’s nomination of Dr. Carbone and other information.

Some background: IHLA’s Vice President recently resigned for personal and professional reasons (and on good terms with IHLA’s leadership). The President and members of IHLA’s Executive Board found an urgent need to replace the Vice President (VP) to maintain organizational stability, continuity, and progress.

Process to replace Vice President

IHLA’s Constitution and Bylaws do not specify a process for replacing the Vice President during a term. Additionally, a general election cannot proceed at this time because IHLA’s membership status and database are in flux. (IHLA just implemented membership fees, and the Constitution states that only IHLA members in good standing can run for office and vote.) IHLA’s next general elections are scheduled for 2027.

However, IHLA’s Constitution and Bylaws suggest that nominees may be selected from the current members of IHLA’s Executive Board, since the membership vetted this group during the 2024 election, and they also have the necessary organizational experience. The Executive Board (EB) is depicted as directly below the President and Vice President positions in IHLA’s organizational leadership chart.

With the EB’s approval, a six-step process was established in late October.

First, EB members were given 10 days to express interest in the Vice President position. Applications were sent to the chair of the Standing Committee on Nominations and Elections, who was not a candidate for the VP post.

Second, the EB received some criteria to assess the self-nominated candidate(s).

Third, following their review, the EB proposed a VP nominee for further vetting during an IHLA-sponsored webinar.

Fourth, during the webinar, Dr. Carbone will outline her professional credentials, health literacy & IHLA experience, and leadership qualities. The Executive Board encourages you to use these criteria to assess the nominee. The IHLA Vice President position is described below.

Fifth, after the webinar, IHLA members will have five days to provide comments about the nominee. The deadline for comments is Dec. 16 @ 6 pm EST-US and should be emailed to the chair of the Standing Committee on Nominations and Elections: rlogan1@mac.com.

Sixth, about 10 days after the webinar, the EB will caucus and select a new IHLA Vice President.

Criteria to evaluate Vice President candidate(s)

Primary qualities

IHLA organizational knowledge and experience.
Demonstrated leadership skills in IHLA and/or other academic professional health care organizations.
Commitment to the VP job as described in the position description.
Agreement to serve the term of office of Vice President until 2027, IHLA’s Presidency from 2028-30, and the Council of Past Presidents.
Will prioritize IHLA activities (such as fundraising) over other academic professional organizations in which the VP is a member.

Other desirable leadership traits

Vision and strategic execution

Strategic vision: Ability to establish a long-term vision and strategic direction for IHLA.
Goal-oriented focus: Skill in setting clear objectives and prioritizing actions to achieve them in a changing health literacy and organizational environment.
Resource management: Proficiency in managing human, financial, and information resources to advance IHLA’s organizational goals.

Interpersonal and communication skills

Strong communication: Ability to communicate effectively to build relationships, foster collaboration, and inspire IHLA members.
Active listening: A willingness to listen to and understand the perspectives of IHLA members.
Coalition building: Skill in building partnerships internally and externally with other organizations to achieve common health literacy goals.

International and cultural competence

International experience: Prior experience in internationalization, including language and intercultural knowledge.
Cross-cultural navigation: The ability to navigate complex cross-cultural situations with empathy, resilience, and emotional strength.
Global perspective: A commitment to advancing IHLA’s goals on an international scale through the exchange of ideas and practices across borders.

Personal and professional qualities

Integrity: A strong sense of honesty, professional ethics, and trustworthiness.
Resilience: The ability to endure setbacks, adapt to challenges, and learn from adversity.
Emotional intelligence: The capacity to understand and manage one's own emotions and those of others, especially in high-pressure situations.
Passion and dedication: An unwavering commitment to IHLA’s mission and to health literacy.
Mentorship: Interest and involvement in advancing the careers of health literacy practitioners and researchers.

Service and impact

Professional service: A history of significant service to IHLA and/or the health literacy academic and professional community.
Demonstrated impact: Evidence of constructive contributions that elevate health literacy professional standards.
Research: A track record of health literacy scholarship that is internationally recognized.

Description of the IHLA Vice President position

The IHLA Vice President serves as a member of IHLA’s Executive Board. The Vice President automatically becomes IHLA’s President following one term of office. After serving one term as President, he/she automatically becomes a member of the IHLA Council of Past Presidents.

The Vice President’s primary role is to assist IHLA’s President. The IHLA President and Vice President oversee the efficient and constructive functioning of IHLA’s elected and appointed Standing Committees, Councils, and Interest Groups/Divisions as well as IHLA’s day-to-day activities.

In addition to duties designated by IHLA’s President, the Vice President has three organizational tasks and responsibilities.

Work with other IHLA Executive Board roles

The Vice President should work with IHLA’s Secretary General to improve the organization’s external and internal communications. Similarly, the Vice President should work with IHLA’s Treasurer and help manage organizational budgetary, financial, and legal issues. IHLA’s Constitution notes the Vice President serves as the chair of Standing Committee on Fundraising, Finance, and Legal. The latter activities provide critical training for IHLA’s future President.

Supervise IHLA appointed Standing Committees

The Vice President should supervise the work and assist the development of IHLA‘s appointed Standing Committees on: Professional Development; Policy and Advocacy; Strategic Planning and Implementation; and Regional Affairs.

Represent IHLA externally

The Vice President serves as IHLA’s official representative to external organizations. The Vice President should take part in establishing and maintaining relationships with IHLA’s Council of Affiliates and any new organizations interested in collaborating or working with IHLA.

The Vice President’s authority and standing are provided within IHLA’s Constitution and Bylaws. The Vice President cannot be renominated for a second term since the incumbent officeholder automatically becomes IHLA’s President.

The time-on-task for this position is estimated to average about 15 percent of a typical full-time academic professional workload. The time-on-task for the position of IHLA President is estimated to average about 30 percent of a typical full-time academic professional workload.

The office of IHLA’s Vice President is a senior leadership (and not a career-building) position.

Any questions regarding this update should be forwarded to: Rob Logan at rlogan1@mac.com