Board Member Position Summaries

Below are general summaries of the positions on the ORCA Board.  These are not complete job descriptions, but are meant to provide an overview of the responsibilities of each position.  Note that all board members are required to attend all board meetings throughout the year.

PRESIDENT 

The scope of this elected office includes primary responsibility for providing overall leadership to ORCA including upholding the rules and regulations of the Association; providing leadership in establishing goals, objectives and direction of ORCA; and presiding over all Governing Board and Executive Council meetings.  The President is expected to review and understand the organization’s articles of incorporation, by-laws, policies and procedures, financial situation, and strategic plan. The President represents ORCA at external meetings and events, including business meetings of the American Counseling Association.  The President, subject to approval by the Executive Council, appoints all committees and committee chairs.  The President does not vote in Governing Board decisions, except to break a tie. The term of office is for one year beginning July 1 and ending the following June 30.  This board position is designated as the chief elected “Officer,” of the Association, and must maintain current membership in ORCA and ACA.

PRESIDENT-ELECT 
This elected office serves for one year as the President-Elect assisting the President and preparing for assumption of presidential duties after the elect year.  The President-Elect shall perform the duties of the President in the absence or incapacity of the President, and shall serve as President during the remainder of the term should the office of President become vacant. The President-Elect presides over the Awards Committee and solicits nominations, selects award winners, and coordinates the awards ceremony at the Fall Conference.  President-Elect may serve on various board committees and task forces as appropriate, and/or may fill short-term gaps in association roles as-needed.  The President-Elect also serves on the Executive Council.  The President-Elect is a voting member of the Governing Board. This board position is designated as an “Officer,” and must maintain current membership in ORCA and ACA.

PAST-PRESIDENT 
The scope of this elected office includes providing mentoring and guidance to the Association, on the assumption of accumulated knowledge, experience, and expertise in leadership matters.  The Past-President chairs the Nominations Committee and is responsible for soliciting nominations for elected board positions and coordinating an election.  Past-President may serve on various board committees and task forces as appropriate, and/or may fill short-term gaps in association roles as-needed.  The Past-President also serves on the Executive Council.  The Past-President is a voting member of the Governing Board. This board position is designated as an “Officer,” and must maintain current membership in ORCA and ACA.

SECRETARY 

The scope of this elected office includes primary responsibility for the secure storage and accuracy of all board records, including official board meeting minutes.  The Secretary communicates the time, date and location of all board meetings to the Governing Board, and assists the President in preparation of the board meeting agenda.  The Secretary is responsible for taking minutes of all board meetings (which must include all Officer, Division, and Committee reports), distributes minutes to the Governing Board for review, and makes corrections to the minutes, if voted on by the Board. The Secretary ensures that approved minutes are posted on the ORCA website to promote transparency to the Association’s membership. The Secretary is encouraged to make recommendations to the Governing Board regarding policies and procedures that will improve the functioning of the Association. The Secretary consults with the President regarding safekeeping of other essential documents of the Association including articles of incorporation, by-laws, policies and procedures, and historical documentation. The Secretary also serves on the Executive Council. The Secretary’s term of office is for two years with an election being held on odd-numbered years, alternating from the Treasurer who is elected on even-numbered years.

This board position is designated as an “Officer,” and must maintain current membership in ORCA and ACA.

TREASURER 
The scope of this elected office includes the primary responsibility of overseeing the management and reporting of the Association’s finances. The Treasurer presides over the Finance Committee (which includes, at a minimum, the Executive Council) whose responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

• Bank account maintenance – Monitors checking, savings, and investment accounts.  Oversees relationships with banks and financial institutions.
• Financial transaction management – Establishes and uses recognized basic accounting and bookkeeping procedures to accurately track all income and expenses of the Association.  Pays outstanding bills or debts owed on a timely basis.  Develops systems for keeping cash flow manageable.
• Budgets – Develops, in consultation with President-Elect, an annual budget and presents budget to Governing Board for approval.  Compares actual income and expenses incurred against the budget.
• Financial policies – Oversees the organization’s financial policies and makes recommendations to improve processes and policies.
• Reports– Provides reports to the Governing Board in advance of each board meeting to include a profit/loss statement, account balances, and budget update.  Reports may also include key financial events, trends, concerns, and assessment of fiscal health.
• Taxes — In consultation with the President, prepares and files state and federal income tax reports.
• Audit — coordinates an annual internal audit, and, every four years, an external fiscal audit.

The Treasurer also serves on the Executive Council. The term of office is for two years with election being held in alternating years from the Secretary. The Treasurer is a voting member of the Governing Board. This board position is designated as an “Officer,” and must maintain current membership in ORCA and ACA.

PUBLIC POLICY AND ADVOCACY COMMITTEE CHAIR 
The scope of the PP&A Chair’s responsibilities includes all matters relating to governmental activities at the federal, state, and local levels in which ORCA may have a professional interest. This Chair’s functions include, as a director of COPACT: monitoring legislative and governmental activity pertaining to the profession of professional counseling, establishing a working relationship with legislators and their staff, preparing and monitoring legislation of interest to professional counselors, working to block the passage of legislation that is harmful to the interests of professional counselors, and hiring and directing the function of government relations professionals to represent COPACT on behalf of ORCA.

This position is appointed by the President with approval from the Executive Council, and serves at the pleasure of the Executive Council.  The PP&A Chair is a voting member of the Governing Board and provides reports to the Board concerning political developments having an impact on professional counselors. The PP&A Chair also serves as a non-voting advisor to the Executive Council of ORCA on political matters.   Appointees must maintain current membership in ORCA.

PRESIDENT, OREGON ASSOCIATION FOR COUNSELOR EDUCATION & SUPERVISION

The scope of this office includes providing overall leadership of OACES, an official Division of ORCA, which exists to support professional counselors who are primarily employed as counselor educators or supervisors.  THE OACES President is a voting member of the ORCA Governing Board. This position is appointed by the ORCA President with approval from the Executive Council.  Appointees must maintain current membership in ORCA.

PRESIDENT, OREGON CAREER DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATION

The scope of this office includes providing overall leadership of OCDA, an official Division of ORCA, which exists to promote professionalism, recognition and opportunity for those interested in the theory and practice of career development over the life span.  The OCDA President is a voting member of the ORCA Governing Board, and is elected by the OCDA Membership. The OCDA President must maintain current membership in ORCA.

ORCA PROGRAM ADMINISTRATOR/ACEP ADMINISTRATOR

ORCA Program Administrator:
The Program Administrator will be responsible for assuring that all ORCA programs that offer Contact Hours approved by NBCC, satisfy, and are consistent with, the requirements of the NBCC Policy and Procedures for Approved Continuing Education Providers (ACEP). The program administrator will work directly with ORCA committees that offer such programs and will give final program approval. Committees that offer programs are responsible to obtain approval of program from the ORCA program administrator prior to advertising events to members. Qualifications of the program administrator as determined by NBCC policy include holding an advanced degree in a mental health field from an accredited educational institution.

ORCA ACEP Administrator: The ACEP Administrator will serve as the primary contact person with NBCC concerning all ACEP program application, administration, approval, renewal and maintenance matters.

COMMUNICATIONS COMMITTEE CHAIR 

The scope of the Chair’s responsibilities includes maintaining and expanding the ORCA publications and social media outlets (eNewsletter, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and ORCA members listserv). This position presides over the Communications Committee which may include a Webmaster, eNewsletter Editor, and others.  Coordinates communication with the Fall Conference Chair; manages updates to the ORCA website; promotes board events and activities to the membership; and promotes public awareness of and support for the counseling profession. This position is appointed by the President with approval from the Executive Council.  The Communications Committee Chair is a voting member of the Governing Board. Appointees must maintain current membership in ORCA.

ETHICS COMMITTEE CHAIR

• The committee shall seek to educate and inform its membership, as well as the general Oregon professional counseling community, regarding ethical practices, standards, and responsibilities within the profession.
• The committee shall periodically publish articles and encourage ORCA sponsorship of continuing education programs that further these
• Additionally, committee members shall be familiar with applicable ethics codes, regulatory provisions, and professional standards and, when appropriate, be available to informally assist members with information and resources helpful in addressing professional ethical

This position is appointed by the President with approval from the Executive Council. The Ethics Chair is a voting member of the Governing Board. Appointees must maintain current membership in ORCA.

HUMAN RIGHTS COMMITTEE CHAIR

• The committee shall seek to educate and inform its membership, as well as the general Oregon professional counseling community, regarding human rights and cultural diversity issues within the profession, as well as within the Oregon community of mental health
• The committee shall periodically publish articles and encourage ORCA sponsorship of continuing education programs that further these goals.
• Encourage ORCA members to nominate fellow counselors for the Human Rights Award. The presentation of this award will be made at the ORCA Annual Fall Conference.
• Additionally, the committee shall, when possible and appropriate, be alert to and seek to proactively address societal trends and social issues that act as barriers to human rights and cultural

This position is appointed by the President with approval from the Executive Council. The Human Rights Chair is a voting member of the Governing Board. Appointees must maintain current membership in ORCA.

GRADUATE STUDENTS COMMITTEE CHAIR 

The scope of the Chair’s responsibilities includes maintaining contact with counseling programs throughout the state.  Recruits and trains graduate students to be representatives for ORCA. Coordinates and hosts events at the schools, encourages leadership in graduate schools representatives and increases awareness of ORCA through the schools.  This position is appointed by the President with approval from the Executive Council.  The Committee Chair is a voting member of the Governing Board. Appointees must maintain current membership in ORCA.

MEMBERSHIP COMMITTEE CHAIR 

The scope of the Chair’s responsibilities includes all matters relating to membership in ORCA. This Chair’s functions include encouraging professional counselors, interns and students to hold membership in the state and national associations, participating in ongoing membership recruitment and retention, maintaining a current membership database, cooperating with Divisions regarding mutual members, corresponding with members and responding to inquiries, and providing information about ORCA and its services to the membership.  This position is appointed by the President with approval from the Executive Council.  The Membership Committee Chair is a voting member of the Governing Board. Appointees must maintain current membership in ORCA.

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND EDUCATION COMMITTEE CHAIR 

The Chair presides over the PD&E Committee which may include ORCA members, volunteers and students and whose scope of responsibilities may include but are not limited to: planning, organization, promotion and management of continuing education events, and managing the CE event co-sponsorship program as a service to ORCA members that operates in accordance with NBCC standards.  This position is appointed by the President with approval from the Executive Council.  The Practice Development and Education Chair is a voting member of the Governing Board. Appointees must maintain current membership in ORCA.

TECHNOLOGY COMMITTEE CHAIR 

The Chair presides over the Technology Committee. The Technology Committee is charged with providing support for the digital and electronic technology needs of the ORCA Board and does not directly interface with members or the public. Other committees may have members that work closely with the Technology Committee, such as the Webmaster or the Membership Committee member responsible for managing the member database. The Committee provides both tech support for current efforts and development work for the creation of new technology-related resources as the Board determines necessary. This position is appointed by the President with approval from the Executive Council. The Technology Chair is a voting member of the Governing Board. Appointees must maintain current membership in ORCA.

NETWORKING COMMITTEE CHAIR 

The Chair presides over the Networking Committee whose scope of responsibilities may include but are not limited to: planning, organizing, promoting, managing networking events, as well as, follow up with new attendees. The networking chair will work closely with the membership committee by providing contact information to potential members who have attend an event and have requested membership information. In addition, the networking chair will coordinate with the PD&E and the Fall Conference Committees to maximize networking opportunities at ORCA events. The position is appointed by the President with approval from the Executive Council. The Networking Chair is a voting member of the Governing Board. Appointees must maintain current membership in ORCA.