The Chapter President of a “Your Chapter Name” shall perform all duties assigned to this position as outlined below. They shall preside at all meetings, or in their absence the Vice President or in their absence a designated director. The Chapter President has the only authority to sign any and all documents related to business activities of the Chapter.

Reports directly to: WIPA International President and Executive Director.

1. Provide leadership to the Chapter Board and members.
2. Is not a voting member of the Board but will serve as a tiebreaker for all Board votes when necessary. Motions can be suggested but cannot be made by the President.
3. Attend the joint monthly Chapter President & Vice President calls.
4. Act as spokesperson and chapter representative on registered documents for WIPA Chapter Name.
5. Express the sentiments of the Board when a majority vote that has passed on a matter.
6. Appoint all departments/committees with the approval of the Chapter Board.
7. Serve as liaison between WIPA Chapter Name and WIPA International.
8. Conduct monthly Chapter Board meetings no closer than three (3) weeks apart.
9. Ensure the Board meeting agenda is created and utilized during board meetings, following the Chapter Board agenda template (posted in the Leadership Library).
10. Attend Chapter President call-in meetings and yearly in-person retreat(s) as scheduled by WIPA International.
11. When a position is vacant, the President will assign the appropriate Board member to attend the required Director call.
12. If the Secretary is unavailable, the Chapter President shall appoint another Chapter Board member to assume the Secretary’s responsibilities.
13. Assume any and all responsibilities of unavailable Chapter Board members.
14. Work with the DEI Director in the review of any metrics or initiatives developed in-year, including speaker diversity and sponsor diversity reporting.
15. Where possible, approve social media posts to ensure proper representation and messaging.
16. Any additional responsibilities/duties as determined.

The Vice President shall, in absence of the Chapter President, assume all powers and perform all duties of the Chapter President except where precluded by law. Vice President is an ex-officio member on each director position.

Reports directly to: Chapter President and Chapter Board of Directors.

1. Prepare to take over Chapter Presidency at the end of the current President’s term.
2. Prepare the Board agenda, to be approved by the President.
3. Take on special Chapter projects as appropriate.
4. Assist in planning the Chapter Board retreats with the Chapter President.
5. Assist the Chapter President as appropriate.
6. Compile monthly Chapter President’s report; report must be submitted to International via Basecamp no later than one (1) week prior to the monthly Presidents call.
7. The Vice President is a voting member of the Board.
8. To ensure future leaders the Vice President has a vested interest in a well-established and trained board.
9. The Vice President oversees the maintenance and adherence to WIPA SOPs – and shares a role in SOP updates that the secretary currently has.
10. Collect feedback and proposed updates following the Q1 Board Retreats
11. Any additional responsibilities/duties as determined.

Other duties may include: Follow up monthly with committee chairpersons to ensure that goals are being accomplished; work in conjunction with the Chapter Board of Directors to produce goals/plan of work for the year.

Reports directly to: Chapter President and Chapter Board of Directors.

1. Issue notices of Chapter Board meetings.
2. Record/transcribe all Chapter Board meeting minutes. A Best Practices for Taking Minutes guide is available in the Leadership Library.
3. Distribute minutes to the Chapter President for approval.
4. Communicate Board member changes for the website to International.
5. Maintain and preserve a record of proceedings and history of Chapter. Maintain digital files and records in central, WIPA-owned Basecamp.
6. Complete the master deadline calendar for the Chapter, which includes meeting dates, events and deadlines for all Chapter Board members on their projects.
7. Follow up on tabled items on the Chapter Board agenda. Any tabled items must be resolved at the next Chapter Board meeting.
8. Follow up on action items from the Chapter Board minutes. Any action items must be resolved at the next Chapter Board meeting.
9. Any additional responsibilities/duties as determined.

Use the link below to view and download documents. Everything from letterhead to reimbursement forms.

Membership drives happen four (4) times per year. The member drives are association wide. The dates of the drives will be provided in advance for promotion.

Reports directly to: Chapter President and Board of Directors.

1. Oversee all communication activity for the Chapter, ensuring information is distributed to current and prospective members in a timely and efficient manner.
2. Maintain Chapter’s social media pages, sharing news, events, and announcements on an as-needed basis. Work with the board to ensure proper representation and messaging.
3. All messaging, whether via social media, email or newsletter, that conveys the feelings of the chapter as a whole must be approved by majority board vote.
4. All Chapter event invitation graphics should have the WIPA Chapter logo on it.
5. Market all WIPA meetings and events via email campaigns, social media, landing page, newsletter, etc.
6. Work in tandem with the Director of Programs to create and distribute a save-the-date and invitation for Chapter meetings and events.
7. Ensure proper recognition for all creative partners and sponsors by means of logos where appropriate and as agreed upon by the Board.
8. Post event recaps, including photos, on the Chapter’s social media channels within seven (7) business days of the event are REQUIRED. Photos MUST be posted into an album on the Chapter’s Facebook page to be accessible for linking to the Chapter’s landing page at www.WIPA.org.
9. Send out all newsworthy Chapter-related items to the media including, but not limited to, announcement of new WIPA International and Chapter Boards, upcoming meetings and events, and awards.
10. Create optional newsletters.
11. Oversee the promotion of the annual Chapter Board of Directors nominations. This campaign runs September through October each year.
12. Any additional responsibilities/duties as determined.

Please limit videos to 1080p with a file size less than 1GB. Highlight reels can be used on your Chapter’s social media – do not upload here. This area is for your education videos.

Photos must be uploaded to an album on your chapter’s Facebook page. These uploaded areas are checked once per week. If you need an album to appear sooner, please email info@wipa.org.

Once submitted, please allow 3 business days for the admin and marketing team to build out your request and get a TEST back to you. Forms submitted after 12pm on Fridays will not be started until the following Monday.

Here you can view samples of newsletters and submit your chapter newsletter for distribution. Newsletters must be submitted as a single PDF file and will also be placed on your chapter’s website landing page. If you don’t submit a main graphic for the email campaign, the first page of your newsletter will be used. As with all emails, newsletters must be emailed through the member portal.

Membership drives happen four (4) times per year. The member drives are association wide. The dates of the drives will be provided in advance for promotion.

The WIPA marketing team has put together some event invitations that are used in email and social campaigns. These graphics are also used on your Chapter landing page.

The WIPA marketing team has put together a general template and example of best practices when it comes to setting up a chapter event email.

Each year, around Q3, Leadership Nominations/Applications begins.  WIPA Admin recommends social media postings, email campaigns, announcements at events.

Reports directly to: Chapter President and Board.

1. Beginning in 2024, all Chapters are required to have at least two (2) of the four (4) quarterly events include a ‘giveback’ component. If the Chapter’s Director of Community Engagement role is not filled then the duties of overseeing this fall to the Chapter Programs Director.
2. Cultivate community contacts to increase awareness and collaborative opportunities with nonprofit organizations.
3. Assess the needs of the community at large to gauge interest in community engagement projects.
4. Outline potential community engagement options and make final recommendations regarding which project(s) to pursue to the Chapter Board.
5. Organize and coordinate volunteers, as needed, for community outreach activities and programs.
6. Determine specific tasks and collaborate with the Director of Marketing & Communications to promote the need for volunteers, share successfully executed projects, etc.
7. Abide by the Chapter budget for any community engagement activities and/or contributions.
   • Any and all Chapter-related activities to include, but not limited to, charitable partners and donations must be reviewed yearly and approved by majority vote of the Chapter Board no less than 90 days before the event is to take place.
   • Donations made by Chapter funds may not exceed 10% of the total balance in the Chapter’s bank account at the time the donation is agreed and paid to the receiving entity.
8. Document the Chapter’s philanthropic efforts and share collateral with the Chapter Director of Communications, who will then tag WIPA International.
9. Chapter’s have autonomy to be a participating partner for community and/or ‘give back’ events/activities. However, fee registration, non-fee registration or RSVPs for a community or ‘give back’ event must be processed through WIPA’s Member Portal at www.WIPA.org.
10. WIPA is not registered to fundraise or engage in charitable solicitation in any of the association’s Chapter states. However, a Chapter may choose to donate event registrations or a portion of event proceeds they make on an event, and this is allowable and a non-issue. If a Chapter chooses to add a charitable donation component to their event registration, it can ONLY be added to the ticket cost and it is the responsibility of the Chapter to track those fees and pass through those donations to the promoted charitable organization. Note, a Chapter may choose at any time to encourage charitable donations that are paid directly to a charitable entity (ie. via QR code, online payment link direct to the organization, etc.).
11. The legalities of hosting ‘raffles’ for an event are different from state to state. Chapters are discouraged from hosting any “raffles” “prize drawings” “opportunity drawings” etc. because most states consider this gambling. It is in the best interests of everyone that Chapters NOT be in a situation of explaining to the State Tax and Revenue Department or other authorities regarding the collection of these funds. If a Chapter insists on exploring “drawing” activities they are required to consult and get approval from WIPA’s Financial Advisor.
12. Any additional responsibilities/duties as determined.

The Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion shall perform all duties assigned to this position as outlined below. This position works in tandem with nearly all Director roles to ensure that DEI related work is being carefully intertwined with other WIPA areas of focus and business.

Reports directly to: Chapter President and Board.

1. Share in detail with the Chapter Board the WIPA DEI Action Plan and what the Association as a whole is doing in the areas of DEI that support the Chapter’s success.
2. Identify opportunities and gaps and spearhead initiative(s) to achieve ongoing progress in WIPA’s diversity, equity and inclusion journey.
3. Ongoing review of membership policies and procedures to ensure that they promote diversity, equity and inclusion values.
4. Provide insight for diversity among WIPA Chapter speakers, including expert commentary, guest writers and interviews.
5. Identify ways to increase diversity of WIPA leadership, Board, and local Chapter membership.
6. Work with the Community Engagement Director to include underrepresented groups and organizations.
7. Work closely with the Marketing & Communications Director to provide suggested content to ensure diversity and inclusive messaging on social media.
8. Work with the Programs Director to elevate the importance of learning and being open to opportunities to use or increase the use of inclusive terms and language in meetings, events, name tags, event venue signage, and promotional materials.
9. Encourage the Chapter Board to create a welcoming environment for all at events.
10. Identify DEI-focused webinars and supplemental education to attend, making budget requests as needed.
11. Manage any allocated DEI budgets to the Chapter and advise board on its usage where necessary.
12. Where possible, develop a Chapter specific DEI committee to help create and manage new initiatives and programs as necessary.
13. As available, attend all monthly INCLUSIVV sessions or work to secure a timely replacement if the Director cannot attend.
14. Any additional responsibilities/duties as determined.

Best Use Practice for Incorporating Diversity Resources Calendar in WIPA Leadership Library

MISSION: Promote Intentional Inclusivity by celebrating and commemorating diverse voices, perspectives, and communities such as, but not limited to, MarCom, Education, Community Engagement, and Programs. Foster an inclusive environment that reflects the wide-ranging aspects of diversity, equity, and belonging.

COMPLIANCE OBJECTIVE: To ensure compliance with licensing criteria while promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) through celebration, commemoration, holiday, and other diversity resources in the WIPA Leadership Library.

COMPLIANCE GUIDELINES:

• Adherence to Licensing Criteria:
  • Do not share the direct link to the licensed WIPA Diversity Resources Link outside your local WIPA Board Leadership.
  • Do not replicate or reuse this DEI tool images or visuals in a manner that violates the agreed-upon licensing terms because they have their license image criteria directly with owners, and those rights do not pass on to WIPA; however, you may use the existing images as inspiration to seek our royalty-free images to create Original Visuals to avoid any potential licensing conflicts, and there is no need to give credit to DRC if handled this way.
  • Do not use exact replicas of DEI tool images (e.g., calendar PDF or screen shares) outside the organization.
• Collaborative Image Sharing:
  • Promote a collaborative environment by sharing diverse perspectives and experiences through royalty-free approved images you secure or provide by your membership with permission.
  • Encourage members to share their visuals while respecting the unique contributions of the DEI tool.
  • There are many free resources online where you can source images.  A few websites that offer a variety of copyright-free images for use:
    • Unsplash
    • Pixabay
    • Pexels
    • Freepik
    • Wikimedia Commons
    • Creation of your own images using an ai generator.  
    • These platforms provide high-quality images that can be freely used for both personal and commercial purposes. When choosing an image, always check and comply with the specific licensing terms of each image to ensure proper usage. In short – if you don’t have express permission from the owner of the image, don’t use the image.
• Copy Authenticity:
  • Fostering Originality: Transforming this inspiration into authentically crafted chapter content.
  • Use this copy content as an inspiration reference. Directors are encouraged to draw inspiration from the concepts presented but are expected to rewrite the copy to reflect the chapter’s authentic voice and perspective. This practice ensures the creation of original content that aligns with the unique context and contributions of the WIPA community.
• Locate the Live References Links for Newsletters, etc.:
  • For example, under “Media and Resources,” you will find “Recommendations” such as books and media. For those references and others, you may locate the live open web link (see Neurodiversity book reference below) and use it to complement DEI messaging, content creation, or newsletter references with no conflicts.
  • When referencing external content, provide proper attribution and citations to maintain transparency and acknowledge the original creators.

 EXAMPLE: Neurodiversity

• Book: “The Reason I Jump” by Naoki Higashida
• Summary: Written by a non-verbal autistic Japanese boy, offering insights into his world
• Key Insights: Sheds light on the inner lives of people with autism
• This was also made into a movie 

By adhering to these guidelines, WIPA Leaders can contribute to a vibrant, diverse, and welcoming environment that upholds the principles of DEI while respecting licensing agreements and fostering collaboration with the Diversity Resources Company.

Member news submissions must be limited to 160 words + links and is always DUE the last Thursday of the month for the following month’s publication. News will appear on the blog and be linked from the International newsletter.

Use the link below to view and download documents. Everything from letterhead to reimbursement forms.

These ethics codes are in addition to the Code Of Ethics for Members. Please be familiar with them. As a leader you agreed to this code on your NDA and by accepting a position on your local board.