The Zurich Chapter of Democrats Abroad Switzerland (DACH) will elect a new Committee at the Zurich Annual Chapter Meeting on May 20th, 2017, 5:00 pm.

The chair of the Zurich Chapter, 2016-2017, Renée Rousseau, filed the 2017 Zurich Chapter Annual Report by the date of the DACH AGM on March 25, 2017. Due to time conflicts, the Zurich Chapter Annual Meeting will be organized by newly elected DACH Chair and German Region Vice-Chair for Basel, Kate Edson, acting as Interim Zurich Chair.

A Nominating Committee has been appointed to seek candidates to stand for office and to run the nominations/election process. The Committee seeks members motivated to help Democrats win races at all levels of our political process for the 2018 U.S. Midterm Congressional Elections, and who have ideas for how to get people out to vote.

Please Consider Running for an Office

Join the Zurich Chapter Committee to make it a vibrant and active chapter in Switzerland! Now is the time to heed the call for candidates and get involved! There will be plenty of opportunity and demand for activism to promote the Democratic message and to counter the policies being put in place by the new Republican administration.

Zurich Committee Officers

1.  Chair
2.  Vice-Chair
3.  Secretary
4.  Treasurer
   
   

NOMINATIONS TIMELINE

All members of Democrats Abroad active in the Zurich region are eligible, and encouraged, to run for an office and to vote at the elections on May 20th.

To run, send a Statement of Intent (up to 500 words) to the Nominating Committee by end of day April 14th, include nominee's name, address, telephone number and email address.

In your statement, please elaborate on what you think qualifies you for the position. If you are running for Chair or Vice-Chair, in your statement list the top three priorities that you will focus your time and energies on during the next two years. The Chair and Vice-Chair do not have to be of the opposite gender (as in the DACH national election). If you are qualified and committed, we encourage you to run for office!

By April 25th we will distribute information about the candidates, their statements, and voting procedures by email.

JOB DESCRIPTIONS & DUTIES

☆ Chair ☆
Chief executive officer of the Zurich Chapter

• Is a member of the DACH Executive Committee (ExCom)
• Is a dedicated team player who will work with the Zurich Chapter committee, volunteers and the DACH Chair
• Organizes and conducts monthly meetings and other events of the Zurich Chapter
• Establishes and supports all committees necessary for the proper functioning of the organization
• Represents the Zurich Chapter in interviews with the press, working together with regional and national DACH Press officers
• Shares responsibility with DACH and the Basel Chapter Chair for voter and member outreach in the Swiss German region, where no chapters are yet established

The Chapter Chair is the only elected position required by the DACH bylaws, but other positions may be created or removed by the Chair from time to time as deemed appropriate (see bylaws for further information).

☆ Vice-Chair ☆

• Assists the Chair in all Zurich Chapter activities
• If the Chair is not available, organizes and conducts the monthly Chapter meetings
• Attends DACH ExCom meetings if the Chair is not available
• Substitutes for the Chair when needed
• Takes on other responsibilities as agreed upon with the Chair

☆ Secretary ☆

• Takes minutes of all meetings and after approval of the Chair distributes to the Chapter Committee and ExCom
• Distributes meeting agendas to the Chapter Committee
• Manages and maintains the Zurich Chapter membership list as well as the list of volunteers, which may involve work on the DA database and with the DACH Secretary.
• Maintains files and administrative records of the Chapter (Google Docs)

☆ Treasurer ☆

• Manages the finances of DA Zurich in agreement with the Chair and the DACH ExCom Treasurer
• Maintains clear and accurate financial records and makes financial reports as required
• Ensures all financial matters conform to local rules and regulations as well as those of the Federal Election Commission and campaign finance laws of the United States
  
  

NOMINATIONS COMMITTEE

For further information about elections or the officer roles, contact any committee member or email zurich-elections@democrats.ch:

• Darcy Molnar, Chair (darcy.molnar@gmail.com)
• Kate Edson (chair@democrats.ch)
• Judy Brown (judybrown4@gmail.com)
• Amanda Bluck (a.l.w.bluck@gmail.com)

The 6th District Task Force has been formed to organize a grass-root effort to ensure that a Democrat wins the upcoming Special Election for the Georgia's 6th Congressional District seat.

This is a combined effort of the Cobb, DeKalb and Fulton Counties in Georgia to work in a unified force to activate thousands of volunteers and party resources.

Mission

• Election Awareness – We will engage in direct voter contact to every possible voter that we feel will be voting democrat in this election and make sure they have all the correct information concerning the Special Election.
• Voter Turnout – We will engage in Get Out The Vote (GOTV) efforts to ensure that we have the largest turnout possible of the Democratic electorate.

Who is going to make this happen?

• Volunteers – This is your election to win! Together we will use our Social media, our mailing list and social networks to activate thousands of volunteers across District, the State and the Country to ensure that voter turnout is as large as possible within the Democratic population of the district.
• County Democratic Parties – The Cobb DeKalb and Fulton will contribute resources, volunteers and organization to increase election awareness.
• Democratic Party of Georgia – We are partnering with the Democratic Party of Georgia (DPG) who will provide advanced Data analytics and a tool set necessary to the voter outreach and data collection.

How?

• Canvass – We are going to Canvass (Door Knock) across the 6th District to boost voter awareness of the Special Election and to increase the turnout at the polls during early voting and on Election Day.
• Phone Bank – We are going to call anyone that we feel will be voting for a Democrat in this election and make sure that they know about the election and encourage them to go vote!
• Social Media – Using our Facebook group page as a hub for information we will use all social media platforms available to us to get out the message. #DemsTakeThe6th  #DemocratsUnite  #FlipThe6th

Your Action

Sign-up! https://www.facebook.com/groups/1132459916863822/

The State of Montana will conduct a Special Election on Tuesday, May 25, 2017, for its at-large Congressional District to replace Ryan Zinke who became Director of the U.S. Secretary of the Interior. This district represents all counties in Montana.

If you are a Montana voter, register to vote and request an absentee ballot today at www.VoteFromAbroad.org or by clicking the VOTE link in the top menu above. Overseas citizens may use the Federal Post Card Application (FPCA), the registration and ballot request form accepted by all States and territories to request a ballot for this special election.

REMEMBER: You must 1. COMPLETE, 2. SIGN, and 3. SEND the FPCA to your local election office.

Be sure you will receive a ballot to vote

If you are not currently registered, your FPCA needs to be received by May 25 for you to receive the ballot to vote, although we recommend you complete and send the FPCA now; if you are currently registered, your FPCA ballot request also must be received by May 25.

Ballots will be sent beginning April 10 for those who have already requested them. If you do not receive your requested State ballot 30 days before the election, you can use the Federal Write-In Absentee Ballot (FWAB), also available on Vote From Abroad.

Please do not assume you will receive the ballot to vote in this special election, even if you just voted in the November 2016 General Election. Detailed instructions and county contact information is available at www.fvap.gov/montana.

The State of South Carolina will conduct a Special Primary Election on Tuesday, May 2, 2017, for the 5th Congressional District to replace Mike Mulvaney who became Director of the U.S. Office of Management and Budget. This district consists of Cherokee, Chester, Fairfield, Kershaw, Lancaster, Lee, Union, and York counties, and portions of Newberry, Spartanburg, and Sumter counties.

The Special General Election will be held on June 20.

If you are a South Carolina voter from the 5th Congressional District, register to vote and request an absentee ballot today at www.VoteFromAbroad.org or by clicking the VOTE link in the top menu above. Overseas citizens may use the Federal Post Card Application (FPCA), the registration and ballot request form accepted by all States and territories to request a ballot for this special election.

REMEMBER: You must 1. COMPLETE, 2. SIGN, and 3. SEND the FPCA to your local election office.

Be sure you will receive a ballot to vote

If you are not currently registered, your FPCA needs to be received by April 3 for you to receive the ballot to vote in the primary; if you are currently registered, your FPCA ballot request must be received by May 2.

Ballots will be sent beginning March 18 for those who have already requested them. If you do not receive your requested State ballot 30 days before the election, you can use the Federal Write-In Absentee Ballot (FWAB), also available on Vote From Abroad. 

Please do not assume you will receive the ballot to vote in this special election, even if you just voted in the November 2016 General Election. Detailed instructions and county contact information is available at www.fvap.gov/south-carolina.

We had a great time on Saturday at our Annual General Meeting in Basel, during which we elected a new Democrats Abroad Switzerland Executive Committee. A big congratulations to our newly elected leadership!

• KATHRYN EDSON, Chair
• CRESTEN MANSFELDT, Vice-Chair
• LAURA SOLIA SHELLABY (since resigned), Secretary, replaced by ELIZABETH VOSS
• CHRISTIAN JORDAN, Treasurer
• HILLARY MUERI (since resigned), Legal Counsel, replaced by WENDY OLUM
• MORGAN GRAY, Member-at-Large Press & Media
• ROBIN BOGNUDA, Member-at-Large Events & Volunteers (since resigned)
• TAYLOR DeGRAFFENRIED, Member-at-Large Membership & Voter Outreach (since resigned)
• BECKY LEACH-SEYMOUR, Member-at-Large Fundraising (since resigned)

Immediate Past Chair and Chapter Chairs are full voting members of the ExCom, ex-officio

• ANNE-SHELTON AARON, Immediate Past Chair (2013-17)
• KELLI BROUILLET, Basel Chapter Chair
• LAURA MESSENGER, Geneva Chapter Chair
• YAEL BOROFSKY, Zurich Chapter Chair

On March 15th, each of us will mail a postcard that publicly expresses our opposition to the Republican Administration. And we, in vast numbers, from all corners of the world, will show the media and the politicians what #resistance looks like as we bury the White House post office in officially-verifiable postcards.

Want to host a postcard writing party? Let us know. Find Postcards from Abroad events here→

Hank Aaron currently holds the record for fan mail, having received 900,000 pieces in a year. We’re setting a new record: over a million pieces in a day.

So sharpen your wit, unsheathe your writing implements, write from the heart, and all of us will put them in the mail on the same day, March 15, 2017. All of our issues — DAPL, women’s rights, racial discrimination, religious freedom, immigration, economic security, education, the environment, conflicts of interest, the existence of facts — can and should find common cause. That cause is to make it irrefutable that the president’s claim of wide support is a farce. The crowd of those that oppose the Republican agenda is exponentially larger.

How to participate

1. Write one postcard or a dozen! Create your own cards, buy them, share them, it doesn’t matter as long as you write #TheIdes on them somewhere.
2. Take a picture of your cards and post them on social media (tagged with #TheIdes).
3. Spread the word! Everyone on Earth can let Washington know their opinion of the President. They can’t build a wall high enough to stop the mail.
4. Then, on March 15th, mail your cards to
   The President
   The White House
   1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
   Washington, DC 20500
   USA

THE ONLY RULE IS NO VIOLENCE, THREATS OF VIOLENCE, OR INSINUATIONS OF VIOLENCE. THIS IS ABOUT BEING HEARD, VIA POSTCARDS. WE UNDERSTAND THAT THE IDES OF MARCH HAS A HISTORY, BUT THAT'S NOT WHAT WE ARE — IN ANY WAY — CALLING FOR HERE.

https://www.theidesoftrump.com/#theidesoftrump
Read about it: https://medium.com/@gerardmclean/postcards-to-my-government-caca4087b467#.hddyq497z

Free downloadable postcards: http://resistforamerica.org/category/resources/print-materials

• Nominated Candidates
• Voting Method
• Election Process

Nominated Candidates

Nominations for the nine elected positions on the 2017-2019 Executive Committee (ExCom) of Democrats Abroad Switzerland closed on Saturday February 18. Listed below are the nominated candidates. The nine offices will be elected on Saturday March 25 at the DA Switzerland Annual General Meeting. At that meeting, additional nominations will be allowed from the floor. All candidates will be given time for a brief statement to the members.

Candidates below are listed according to office, in the same order the offices will be elected at the AGM. Within each office, candidates appear alphabetically by last name, showing their city of residence and their statements. Because we have many nominations, in the interest of readability, we display here only the candidate's name linked to their full statement on the pages that follow.

Office: Chair (2)

Kate Edson (Basel)

Max I. Zappe (Zurich)

Office: Vice-Chair (2)

Yael Borofsky (Zurich)

Cresten B. Mansfeldt (Zurich)

Office: Secretary (3)

Kristen Jafflin (Basel area)

Laura Solia Shellaby (Geneva)

Elizabeth Voss (Basel)

Office: Treasurer (1)

Christian Jordan (Geneva)

Office: Counsel (1)

Hilary O’Connor Mueri (Brugg, Aargau)

Office: Member-at-Large – Membership and Voter Outreach (1)

Taylor de Graffenried (Bern)

Office: Member-at-Large – Fundraising (1)

Becky Leach-Seymour (Zurich)

Office: Member-at-Large – Events and Volunteers (2)

Robin Bognuda (Camorino, Ticino)

Katelyn M. McClung (Vevey)

Office: Member-at-Large – Press and Media (3)

Morgan Gray (Geneva)

Leedonal Moore (Zurich)

Rosemary Pontarelli (Basel)

TOP

Voting Method

Americans who are DA members as of Friday March 24th may vote. Please reply to elections@democrats.ch to indicate your attendance at the AGM. You may vote in one of the following ways:

1. In-person voting: Printed ballots will be distributed at the meeting.
2. On-line voting: Links to web-based ballots will be provided to members who sign up to attend by WebEx.
   
   If you cannot participate in either of these ways, a third possibility is available:
   
   
3. Vote by proxy: Request a proxy form from elections@democrats.ch. Send a copy of your completed and signed proxy form to us by March 22nd, and give it to your chosen attending proxy member before the AGM. Any voter at the meeting may hold at most two proxies.

TOP

Election Process

At the meeting, the nine offices will be elected one by one, in the order shown above. Nominations for office may be made from the floor or from WebEx, as write-in candidates. This includes listed candidates who did not win their announced race. All candidates will be given two minutes to address the members. Voting by advance ballot will not be available.

This election process aligns with that used at DA international meetings, and was preferred by the Executive Committee in view of the many declared candidates. Voters will be able to meet and hear them in person, before choosing.

TOP

The Candidates

• Kate Edson (Basel)
• Max I. Zappe (Zurich)

Kate Edson (Basel)

I am a lifelong Democrat and have been continuously involved in progressive causes since my first Earth Day as a teenager organising recycling drives up until the Women’s March in Geneva. I studied and worked in a field dominated by men and know how important it is to preserve the rights women fought so hard for. I volunteered with the Obama campaign in 2007 in Basel helping to organise voter registration, debate watch events, an election and inauguration night parties. In 2016, as Vice-Chair for Basel Events under the Zurich Chair Renee Rousseau I worked to organise a team in Basel that is now ready to form an official Basel Chapter. We held several voter registration events (at one event registering about 80 people), an Expat Expo, Debate Watches, Election Night Party and other events such as Tax Nights and have held regular monthly meetings of our volunteers.

During the past year I gained valuable experience working nationally on the Executive Committee as a Member-at-Large for GOTV and as acting Chair for Basel. I’ve had the benefit of the good example the current leadership team has provided in nurturing a cohesive team and have enjoyed working with them all. I have also had previous experience serving on a Board of Directors as Social Events & Programs Chair for the American Women’s Club of Basel. In addition, I think my 20 years of professional experience as an executive and project leader in a large corporation has also provided me with useful organisational and management skills that will be useful in serving as Chair of DACH.

The next two years will be critical in regaining control of Congress, working to increase the Democratic presence in local and state offices and prepare for the next presidential race in 2020. In Switzerland in 2017 we will be working to further develop local organisations, reach out to more Americans across the country and to update and increase our membership list. Then come January 2018 we will be ready to start registering voters for the 2018 midterm elections. Many progressives also feel frustration about the outcome of the elections and need help channelling that frustration into activism. We need to be ready to help. We have seen that energy used in positive protest can make a difference even with this administration in place.

 

← return to all candidates

 

 

Max I. Zappe (Zurich)

I am a native Californian living in Switzerland, who has eagerly followed American political affairs since I can remember and would like to contribute as much as I can to the wellbeing of American Democracy. Being appalled by the recent election and in despair about the direction towards which American Politics has been taking a turn, I committed myself to do everything and anything I can to fight the elitist, oppressive and unrepresentative Agenda being pushed forward by the far-right. I have been very outspoken about justice, privacy and equality in the United States in the past and would appreciate the opportunity to continue to push these important principals forward on a larger scale, as Chair of Democrats Abroad. Given the chance, I would use all available resources to push against the outrageous propositions being produced by the current White House by, amongst many other things, recruiting larger numbers of volunteers, lobbying senators and congresspeople, organizing charities for groups like ACLU and Planned Parenthood, mobilizing more Voters and loudly calling out the current administration for their counter productivity and bigotry. In such unsettling and uncertain times I find it most important remain calm and consistent in contrasting unreasonable ideas. This is exactly what I hope to be able to do as Chair of Democrats Abroad and thus hope I can count on your vote.

 

← return to all candidates

 

The Candidates

• Kristen Jafflin (Basel area)
• Laura Solia Shellaby (Geneva)
• Elizabeth Voss (Basel)

Kristen Jafflin (Basel area)

I joined Democrats Abroad, Switzerland 8 years ago, after moving to Geneva just a couple of weeks before President Obama’s inauguration and thankfully learning of an inauguration party hosted by Democrats Abroad.

A life-long Democrat and committed voter, I have long been active in Democratic and progressive politics. As an undergrad, I was a leader in my campus feminist and GLBT groups, and I have been an active participant in many progressive causes, from marching against the Iraq War, to pushing for graduate-student workers' rights as a member of our graduate student union while studying at UC Berkeley. I'm also an enthusiastic voter - I registered to vote as soon as I turned 18, and I participated in get out the vote drives in Nevada in 2004 and volunteered to work as a poll worker during the 2008 election.

Since arriving in Switzerland, I've been an active member of Democrats Abroad, participating and volunteering frequently for all manner of events, from Art Walks to Expat Expos. This past election year, I was part of a team of Basel-area Democrats who organized a great voter registration effort and many election-related events, including Debate and Election-night Watch Parties. We've continued to be active since the election, organizing a Basel Chapter of DACH, and contemplating how to best respond to the terrifying new Republican administration. As part of that effort, I'm head of a team that completed database training and certification on the new DA database.

It is vital that we resist the Republican administration and fight to take over the House and Senate in the mid-term elections. As secretary of DACH, I hope to put my passion, skills and experience to use strengthening DA Switzerland to help us all in that effort. I should be able to do so from day one, given my familiarity with DA Switzerland and certification on the database (the latter being essential for maintaining the membership list).

 

← return to all candidates

 

 

Laura Solia Shellaby (Geneva)

I am a proud American and progressive Democrat who firmly believes in the power of democratic government to advance social good and serve the needs of its citizens. At this alarming and uncertain time in American political history, I believe that citizen engagement in the political process is more important than ever to ensure that our democratic institutions protect all Americans, regardless of race, gender, sexual orientation, place of origin or economic status, maintain peace in the world, and withstand the dangerous whims of the current administration. This is why I would like to dedicate my time and efforts to serve Democrats Abroad in Switzerland as your Secretary.

I believe that my education, professional experience, and genuine passion for policy and politics qualify me for this role. Originally from New York, I bring a global perspective to all that I do and have travelled extensively in Africa, Latin America, and Asia. Professionally, I specialize in the development of multi-sector partnerships for global health and am currently a Partnerships & Networks Manager at the Union for International Cancer Control (UICC) in Geneva. My previous experience includes working on corporate social responsibility initiatives in the private sector, managing partnerships and communications for a Liberian NGO during the Ebola Crisis, and serving as Global Health Lead at the Clinton Global Initiative. I hold a Bachelor of Arts in Politics and Public Health Policy from New York University and a Master of Science in Global Affairs from NYU's Centre for Global Affairs.

If elected, I will use my education and experience to fulfil the office of Secretary in an organized and efficient manner and contribute to the Executive Committee to the best of my abilities. In addition, I will employ my millennial enthusiasm and digital fluency to support increased member engagement through new avenues of information exchange and heightened activism. With daily headlines focused on the most sensational news coming out of Washington and the definition of "facts" up for debate, I will strive to break through the noise and elevate the most critical issues facing our country and you, the Democrats of Switzerland.

As the so-called 51st state, we - the millions of Americans living abroad - represent a powerful voting bloc that can swing elections and sway elected officials on issues that matter. Working together as the Democrats of Switzerland and as part of Democrats Abroad worldwide, I believe that we can make a difference. Thank you for your consideration of my candidacy. It would be an honour to serve you.

 

← return to all candidates

 

 

Elizabeth Voss (Basel)

For as long as I can remember, I have identified with and held dear the programs and ideals that the Democratic Party represents. I come from a union family who instilled in me the importance of voting for candidates who protect workers' rights. As a young adult, I benefitted from the services offered at a reasonable cost at Planned Parenthood. I have used the social safety net when it was necessary and I had no other options. So many of my life experiences and my beliefs necessitate my allegiance with the Democratic Party; truly, the party cares for the real needs of the American people with basic empathy underlying each of the policies put forth by our representatives.

The Democratic Party is at a critical point. That the GOP controls the majority of state legislatures and governorships as well as the House and Senate spells major trouble for the Democrats now and far into the future. It is essential that we start gaining back ground so that after the next census, the Republican gerrymandering doesn't worsen and cause more issues for us and for the freedoms and protections of the American people, both at home and abroad.

I haven't ever held a secretarial position. However, I was heavily involved in Student Council and Key Club executive boards in high school. Additionally, I have worked in office settings for over ten years and have excellent written and oral communication skills. I am very organized and am also proficient with the Google suite of office tools (Docs, Sheets, and Slides).

It is unfortunate that I didn't really find my passion for politics until we moved overseas, but I suppose my passion was born of necessity. The current state of politics in the US is dire and while I feel fortunate to have some distance from it, I also feel it's necessary to do everything I can to help improve things for my friends and family back home, as well as the rest of the country, and the world at large. I have a five year daughter. My husband and I have had to explain to her that we won't be moving back to the US for at least four more years, but I want her to be able to move home one day and be proud of the country she’s returning to. That is why I want to be involved in the DACH Executive Committee.

 

← return to all candidates

 

The Candidates

• Yael Borofsky (Zurich)
• Cresten B. Mansfeldt (Zurich)

Yael Borofsky (Zurich)

I am sure every member of this organization can agree that the political events of the last year and a half have been devastating. After living in Zurich during nearly all of campaign season, I came back to Cambridge, MA last September, just in time to watch Donald Trump win the election and then become inaugurated as the president of the United States. Despite the factthat I never imagined myself as an activist or a protester, since the election I have attended various events in the Cambridge/Boston area to either build community in the face of Trump’s lunacy or to protest (specifically, so far, for women’s rights and against the travel ban on Muslims from seven countries). Through these experiences, it has become increasingly clear to me that we cannot expect a tolerant, forward-thinking democracy as the default mode in the US or any country. Instead, we must work hard to protect this ideal at all times.

I am running for Vice Chair of the Executive Committee of Democrats Abroad Switzerland because I realize that now is both a surprisingly difficult time to live outside the United States — separated from those whose pain we share — and an urgently important time. Organizing ourselves now for the 2018 mid-terms, and eventually the 2020 elections, will not only be our way of staying engaged and making our voices heard from afar, but our activism can also be a set an example for our Swiss and European neighbors. Through Democrats Abroad events and outreach we can find new venues to discuss the difficult issues we care about (even if we disagree), learn more about what we can do to protect the rights of those who are more vulnerable than we are, and demonstrate that Americans are actually better than our slogans – that we really do value, above all, liberty and justice for every person.

I hope to bring to the post of Vice Chair my experience co-founding and running an MIT discussion forum focused on energy and human development, as well as my background in journalism, policy, and urban studies and planning. Most of all, though, I would contribute a newfound personal commitment to civic engagement. A commitment that is necessary now, in the face of the current challenges, and also, perhaps especially, in the future, when tolerance, justice, and peace may not seem so broadly threatened, but such ideals will be no less in need of protection. I look forward to meeting other DACH members on March 25.

 

← return to all candidates

 

 

Cresten B. Mansfeldt (Zurich)

Briefly, I am originally a DFLer from the True-Blue State of Minnesota (the last Republican Presidential Candidate to win Minnesota was Nixon in 1972). I received my Bachelors in Civil Engineering at the University of Minnesota and my PhD in Environmental Engineering at Cornell University. During my tenure at Cornell, I participated in student governance for five years, eventually being elected the President of the Graduate and Professional Student Assembly and assisting in the formation of the Cornell NYC Tech Campus. After completing my studies in 2013, I assisted a colleague in establishing a tech startup in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. In 2015, I was recruited for a research scientist position at the Swiss Federal Aquatic Research Institute (Eawag) and have been enjoying my time in Zürich ever since.

My vision for the Vice Chair of the Executive Committee falls into three sequential phases: diversification, support, and transition.

Diversification
With the energized interest in DACH throughout Switzerland, the Vice Chair position enjoys the opportunity of delegating tasks that were championed by Vice Chair Peter Butterfield to newly formed positions, caucuses, and volunteers. This process of delegation will strengthen the network of DACH, maintain activity in the various roles, and realize the highest marginal utility received from the diversity of expertise housed in DACH. Therefore, the initial goals of the Vice Chair should be to (1) agglomerate the institutional knowledge amassed by the outgoing Vice Chair Peter Butterfield and the Executive Committee as a whole, (2) meet with the volunteers in the emerging positions to determine which tasks performed previously by the Vice Chair would be best distributed, and (3) delegate the appropriate tasks and focus the role of the Vice Chair in a manner to best serve the Chair, the Executive Council, and DACH members.

Support
As the roles of the new format become more clarified, the Vice Chair should support the Chair, the Executive Council, and the new positions. This role will require flexibility in tackling issues and opportunities as they arise. Essentially, the Vice Chair should be a jack-of-all-trades fix-it position smoothing the expansion process. Communication with all members of the Executive Committee, collaboration with the international network, and involvement in the forming caucuses are key functions of the Vice Chair position.

Transition
Finally, I believe a cornerstone of my role as Vice Chair would be to assist in ensuring the strength of DACH by training and recruiting a pool of talent that potentially can not only replace me, but achieve more as a future Vice Chair.

 

← return to all candidates