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Ever wonder what makes the Maryland Writers Association so special? You if do, and this is your chance to get involved. MWA is a 100% volunteer non-profit organization. We rely on members like you to keep the cogs turning.
I personally encourage you to run for office or to nominate another member. Only through our volunteer efforts, each taking a turn, will we be able to continue building a strong, active, and successful Maryland Writers’ Association.
All elected and appointed terms commence on July 1, 2026.
So why should you volunteer? Here are some of the benefits of volunteering for MWA:
- Networking – You get to meet lots of cool people in the writing industry, including published authors and industry experts. I met my publisher through my work with MWA and some of my best friends.
- Giving back – Volunteering gives you a chance to share what you have learned with new and emerging authors. We are also a registered non-profit, so any time worked count as volunteer hours.
- Learning – There is always more to learn about all aspects of writing and marketing your work, even if you’ve been published multiple times.
- Discounts – All our state board members, chapter board members, and teen volunteers receive a discounted rate to attend our annual conference. It’s our way of saying thank you.
- It’s fun – Who doesn’t want to have a great time?
- Writing Credentials – Being involved with leadership looks great on your resume and writer’s bio.
MWA’s fiscal year runs from July 1 – June 30. Elections are held every year for chapters (president, vice president, secretary, and treasurer) and every other year for the state president, vice president, secretary, treasurer, and 2 members at large. In addition, there are many vital appointed positions. We provide training, support, and handbooks for all.
The MWA Board Elections will be conducted virtually at the membership Annual Meeting.
DATE: Monday, June 15, 2026
TIME: 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
ONLINE REGISTRATION FOR MEETING AT ZOOM LINK BELOW:
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZAqfumuqzIoE9N5hk90SmHdwiAGcz3Djl3K
Please fill out the Board and Leadership Nomination Form located on the MWA website at https://marylandwriters.org/form.php?form_id=65 to express your interest in one of the positions.
The following positions are open for nomination:
President**
- Minimum term: Elected 2-year term, may be elected to no more than two consecutive terms, voting member of the Board
- The duties of President are to:
- Preside over the Executive Committee, Board and membership meetings
- Direct or supervise all MWA activities, serving as an ex officio member of every Committee
- Appoint all Committee Chairs with the advice and consent of the Board
- Coordinate and schedule all Executive Committee and Board meetings on the MWA event calendar
- Announce the Annual Membership Meeting and publish a Call for Nominations for elected and appointed positions
- Serve on the MWA Nominating Committee unless he/she is up for election
- Publish the President’s Quick Notes and other MWA correspondence to the MWA membership, as needed
- Oversee the review, revision and updates of the MWA Bylaws, as needed
Vice-President**
- Minimum term: Elected 2-year term, may be elected to no more than two consecutive terms, voting member of the Board
- The duties of Vice-President are to:
- Assist the President to the extent requested by the President
- Preside in lieu of the President in the event of his or her absence or unavailability
- Serve as a liaison between the Board and the MWA Chapters
- Collect chapter reports and present the Vice-President Report at the monthly Board meeting
- Serve as a mentor and advisor to chapter presidents and committee chairs
- Attend all Board Meetings
Secretary**
- Minimum term: Elected 2-year term, may be elected to no more than two consecutive terms, voting member of the Board
- The duties of Secretary are to:
- Take attendance, record, maintain and promulgate the minutes of all
meetings of the Executive Committee, Board and membership - Promulgate the minutes in a timely manner and make the minutes of all meetings available to any member who requests them
- Accept and count proxy votes for inclusion in the Board Elections tally at the Annual Meeting, as appropriate
- Record and publish the names of MWA members who are elected/appointed to the Board as selected at the membership’s Annual Meeting
- Present the Secretary’s Report at the monthly Board meeting
- Review annually and update the Association’s by-laws by bringing needed changes to the attention of the Executive Committee and Board
- Attend all Board Meetings
Treasurer**
- Minimum term: Elected 2-year term, may be elected to no more than two consecutive terms, voting member of the Board
- The duties of Treasurer are to:
- Provide the President and Board of Directors the best recommendations on fiscal matters in order to keep the organization on a secure financial footing
- Draft a budget annually and submit it to the President and Board for approval at the July Board meeting
- Provide the Board each month with the Profit and Loss Statement, which shows the monthly income and expenses
- Alert the Board to any unusual activities or signs that the organization is overextending too far beyond the adopted budget
- Responsible for coordinating with each chapter about its account, including having access to the chapters’ budgets and tracking their spending
- Responsible for paying all MWA bills and filing all tax forms, including those required by the State to maintain MWA’s 501(c)(3) status
Member-at-Large** (3 positions, 1 seeking re-election)
- Minimum term: Elected 2-year term, may be elected to no more than two consecutive terms, voting member of the Board
- The duties of Member-at-Large are to:
- Assist the President as new, unassigned Board tasks arise. (The Member-at-Large does not have a specific role)
- Preside over ad-hoc, temporary committees at the discretion of the President
- Oversee and run a MWA committee for a short period of time if a vacancy unexpectedly occurs and at the discretion of the President and the Board
- Volunteer and work on committees with new committee chairs to bring experience in the operations and goals of the committees and at the discretion of the President and the Board
- Attend all Board Meetings
**Note: The officers filling these positions are seeking reelection. The positions are still open for
interested individuals to run in the election as candidates.
Non-elected positions:
Webmaster
- Minimum term: Appointed by President with no fixed term, voting member of the Board
- The duties of the Webmaster are to:
-
- Maintain and manage MWA’s website hosted on StarChapter, including content,
user accounts, mass emails, Annual Conference, etc. - Train / support others posting content to the website, as needed, including
chapter officers, newsletter editor, graphics coordinator etc., and update and
distribute website tech manuals as needed - Attend and contribute to Tech Committee Meetings and Ad Hoc projects
- Provide technical training / support for MWA Chapters regarding their chapter
pages and events - Estimated monthly time commitment: 6 – 12 hours
- Maintain and manage MWA’s website hosted on StarChapter, including content,
You may nominate yourself or another member (inform the individual for consent) by filling out the Board and Leadership Nomination Form on the MWA website at https://marylandwriters.org/form.php?form_id=65.
Descriptions of all our positions can be found at https://marylandwriters.org/MWA_Leadership_Opportunities_2022.
Nominations must be received no later than Friday, May 15, 2026. Open nominations will also be permitted at the June 17th Annual Membership Meeting.
Remember, there is a U in VOLUNTEER. If you have any questions or concerns, please email Amy Kaplan, the Nominating Committee Chair, at [email protected]
The Nominating Committee
Amy Kaplan, Chair (Past President/Publications Chair)
Joanne Zaslow (Newsletter Editor)
David Sloan (North Baltimore Chapter President)
