Overview

The Maryland Music Educators Association (MMEA) hosts annual elections to elect officers to the MMEA Executive Board. 

 

Members of MMEA are encouraged to nominate a colleague or self-nominate for a board position. The nominating committee will review all nominations and engage potential candidates in conversations about responsibilities, expectations, and vision.

 

We are dedicated to building a diverse and inclusive community in which participants and members of all backgrounds can access events, programs, services, and be treated fairly. Harassment, discrimination, prejudice, or bias in admission, employment, volunteering, or administration of its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, sex, national origin, religion, age, disability, marital status, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity or expression, political affiliation, ancestry, or military service will not be tolerated.

 

Open Positions

In accordance with MMEA Bylaws: The following officers are elected in:

 

odd-numbered years: President-Elect; and component association presidents representing MCEA and MODA.

 

even-numbered years: Recording Secretary; Member-at-Large; and component association presidents representing MBDA, MGMTA, and MSMTE. 

 

Position Descriptions

• MMEA President/President-Elect (six-year commitment): Facilitates Executive Board discussions that help shape the conferences and communicates the overall vision of the conferences. The President, with the Executive Council, sets the agenda for Board meetings and presides over the meetings. The President shares the leadership role with the President-Elect.

 

MMEA President-Elect: Assists the President with conference promotions and works collaboratively on planning and implementing association initiatives. Updates Board Book annually and chairs the Nominating Committee. Coordinates Annual Conference Happy Hour. Updates MMEA Strategic Plan every five years.

 

Requirements for MMEA President-Elect. A candidate for the office of MMEA President-Elect must have previously served as an elected or appointed officer of MMEA. No individual may serve as MMEA President for two consecutive terms, except as stated in Bylaw III, Section 7.

 

• Recording Secretary (two-year commitment): Records the minutes of Executive Board meetings, edits them for accuracy, and presents them to the Executive Director and President. The Secretary is a full voting member of the Executive Board.

 

• Member-At-Large (two-year commitment): Serves the board’s strategic needs as determined by the president at any given time. A member-at-large is a full voting member of the Executive Board.

 

• Component President/President-Elect (six-year commitment): Heads the Component Board and coordinates the policies and procedures for state activities, conference sessions, and event conductors. The President coordinates the material for the All State handbook. The President, along with the President-Elect determine All State ensemble placement. The President also determines representatives on the component Board to include managers and committee heads.

 

Component President-Elect: Supports the component president. The President-Elect, along with the President, determines All State ensemble placement.

 

Policies and Procedures

• MMEA Membership:

  • Nominators must be members of MMEA/NAfME.

  • Nominees must be members of MMEA/NAfME.

    • Upon accepting candidacy, the nominee agrees to maintain membership through the election and if selected, maintain membership through the commitment to the office. 

 

• Committee:

  • The Nominating Committee will be comprised of the following individuals:

    • MMEA President

    • MMEA President-Elect

    • Either the President or President-Elect for the Components electing a President-Elect

    • MMEA Recording Secretary and Member-At-Large during the years which these positions are being elected 

    • At-Large representatives as appointed by the chair. 

  • Committee members must recuse themself if they plan to self-nominate. 

  • If a committee member is nominated by a colleague and are interested in the position, they must recuse themself from the committee. 

  • The committee must have an odd number of members and not to exceed eleven. 

  • In all voting matters of the committee, a simple majority shall prevail.

 

• Recommended Slate of Candidates:

  • The Nominating Committee is charged with forming a recommended slate of candidates to be presented to the MMEA Executive Board for approval. 

  • The committee will review all nominations before selecting 3-4 nominees to interview per position. 

  • Interviews will be scheduled with select nominees to learn more about the individual, as well as facilitate an opportunity for the nominee to inquire about the position and responsibilities. 

  • No candidate will be run unopposed. 

  • No candidate may run for multiple positions simultaneously. 

  • Only two candidates will be recommended for each open position. 

  • In the event the Executive Board rejects the recommended slate, the Nominating Committee will reconsider all nominees. 

 

2024-2025 Nomination

MMEA is currently seeking candidates interested in the following positions: 

 

• MMEA President-Elect

• MCEA President-Elect

• MODA President-Elect

 

The commitment for the component president positions lasts six years serving as President-Elect, President, and Immediate Past President (2 years each).

 

MMEA is dedicated to building a diverse and inclusive community in which participants and members of all backgrounds can access events, programs, services, and be treated fairly. MMEA does not tolerate harassment, discrimination, prejudice, or bias in admission, employment, volunteering, or administration of it programs and activities on the basis of race, color, sex, national origin, religion, age, disability, marital status, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity or expression, political affiliation, ancestry, or military service.

 

Thank you for nominating a peer or yourself for consideration to be a MMEA leader. Once submissions have closed, the nominating committee will review all nominations and reach out to select candidates with next steps. Questions regarding the Nominating Committee process may be directed to Amy Hairston, MMEA President-Elect, at ahairston.mcea@gmail.com. 

 

2024-2025 Timeline

• October 1-23 - Nomination Window

• November & December - Committee review, interviews, board approval of slate

• December 18 - Candidate slate announced to the public

• January 30 - Feb 10 - Meet the Candidate Videos & Posts  

• February 10 - March 12 - Membership Voting Window

• Week of March 17 - Election Results Announced

 

Nomination Form

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2024-2025 Nominating Committee

• Amy Hairston, MMEA President-Elect, Committee Chair (Montgomery County)

• Jen Kauffman, MMEA President (Baltimore County)

• Susan Eckerle, MBDA President-Elect (Montgomery County)

• Jess Windsor, MGMTA President-Elect ( Dorchester County)

• Otis Eldridge, MMEA Member-At-Large (Baltimore City)

• Carrie Barrett Traube, MMEA Recording Secretary (Baltimore County)