Member-driven CPSDA structured for long-term growth
Building out CPSDA structure
The CPSDA Board of Directors expanded from five to seven members in the Spring of 2011, adding Scott Sehnert from Auburn University and Amy Goodson, one of the most highly respected nutrition counselors in Texas. The Board will be expanded once more in 2012, bringing the full complement to nine Board members, per by-laws or the organization.
Board members of the CPSDA serve two-year terms, though two of the original five directors elected in 2010 must serve three year terms between 2010 and 2013 while the full body grows from five to nine (see chart below).
There will be no limit to the number of two-year terms a Board member may serve, but those seeking to serve multiple terms must run for re-election every two years.
Candidates for the CPSDA Board of Directors will be sought each year in March, and elections will be held in April. Only members in the "Professional" category of CPSDA membership (veteran, experienced or qualified) are eligible to run and, at least for the time being, to vote. Newly elected members will join the Board at the start of the Annual CPSDA Conference each May, but only earn voting rights when their predecessor steps off during that meeting.
Board members will convene in private at the Annual Conference to elect four officers (President, Vice President, Secretary and Treasurer) each year; then appoint a chairmanship position to each of the five remaining board members (see column to the right for board member assignments).
There is no limit to the number of terms a Board member may remain an officer of CPSDA.
Trade Winds Harbor, Fla. 
CPSDA Board members attending mid-winter Board meeting in February (foreground from left): Becci Twombley, Secretary; Amy Goodson, Membership Chair; Allison Maurer, Education Chair; Scott Sehnert, Careers Chair; (from top left) Randy Bird, VP/Treasurer; Amanda Carlson-Phillips, Research Chair; Amy Freel, Conference Chair; and Amy Bragg, President. Past-President Dave Ellis teleconferenced into the Board meeting between duties in Arizona at the Cleveland Indians spring training facility.
Dividing responsibilities between
9 CPSDA Board Members in 2013
(job title and duties assigned)
President
- Overall association management
- Manage employees/agents (legal, financial, marketing, administrative)
- Monitor legal service providers
- Monitor marketing agency providers
- Monitor employees
- Manage office facilities
- Serve as CPSDA Ambassador/spokesperson/final arbiter
- Manage sponsor partner relationships
- Lend help and support as needed to all other board members
Vice President
- Primary focus is political advocacy for rules that govern what sports dietitians can do on behalf of their athletes in NCAA, Olympic sports, professional sports and military/tactical venues
- Organize and oversee an "Advocacy" Advisory Board (made up primarily of former NCAA and college conference staff still employed in athletics)
- Liaison with NCAA, NATA, NSCA, ACSM, JCSMS, ADA, SCAN, etc
- First option to assume Presidency should unexpected vacancy occur
Secretary
- Maintain official record of association meetings and other activities
- Direct and manage CPSDA electoral process (from ballots to vote tally)
- Validate CPSDA member applications
Treasurer
- Oversee all financial operations including membership, sponsorship and Annual Conference
- Manage budgets, banking, accounts payable and receivable
- Forecast annual budgets/special event costs/new project estimates
Board Position 5 (Conference chair)
- Oversee the annual CPSDA Conference and Clinical Symposium (May 16-19, 2012 in St. Pete, FL)
- Oversee education continuity at Annual Conference & Continuing Education committees
- Direct 3-person Annual Conference Committee
Board Position 6 (Membership/Marketing)
- Primary focus is preserve current membership and expand it to include more full-time Sports RDs, those aspiring to be so, and to attract more "associate" members from the ranks of athletic training, strength & conditioning, and exercise science
- Work in concert with CPSDA administrators to build greater awareness of CPSDA, inside and outside the world of sports nutrition
- Grow CPSDA membership through three sub-committee chairs:
- Sub-chair for CPSDA Professional members (veteran, experienced or qualified)
- Sub-chair for CPSDA Associate members (primarily RDs seeking to become SDs)
- Sub-chair for CPSDA Student members (college students of dietetics and nutrition)
Board Position 7 (Career Development Chair)
- Supervise
career development, job opportunity and internship programs for all
three categories of CPSDA membership by working in concert with
Membership Committee sub-chairs:
- Sub-chair for CPSDA Professional members (veteran, experienced or qualified)
- Sub-chair for CPSDA Associate members (primarily RDs seeking to become SDs)
- Sub-chair for CPSDA Student members (college students of dietetics and nutrition)
- Create job postings program on CPSDA web site
Board Position 8 (Education Chair)
- Develop and oversee "Scientific and Banned Substances" Advisory Board (2012)
- Develop and manage CPSDA research programs (2012)
- Write and distribute CPSDA position papers illustrating RDs' role in sports (2012)
- Divide, develop and manage Continuing Education as governed by four sub-committees:
- Sub-Chair representing members working in professional sports
- Sub-Chair representing members working at colleges/universities
- Sub-Chair representing members working with aspiring Olympic athletes
- Sub-Chair representing members working in U.S. military or law enforcement
Board Position 9 (Research Chair)
- Reserved for past-CPSDA officer (Past President when available) to advance association goals
- Serve as advisor/confidant to sitting CPSDA President
- Serve as liaison to all organizations outside boundaries of CPSDA
Below is a table that illustrates how the Board of Directors will grow from five to nine members by 2012,
and in what years those nine Board positions will come up for election through 2020. Δ denotes election year.
Nine Board positions come up for election in these years
| Year | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 |
| 2010 | Δ | Δ | Δ | Δ | Δ | ||||
| 2011 | Δ | Δ | |||||||
| 2012 | Δ | Δ | Δ | Δ | Δ | ||||
| 2013 | Δ | Δ | Δ | Δ | |||||
| 2014 | Δ | Δ | Δ | Δ | Δ | ||||
| 2015 | Δ | Δ | Δ | Δ | |||||
| 2016 | Δ | Δ | Δ | Δ | Δ | ||||
| 2017 | Δ | Δ | Δ | Δ | |||||
| 2018 | Δ | Δ | Δ | Δ | Δ | ||||
| 2019 | Δ | Δ | Δ | Δ | |||||
| 2020 | Δ | Δ | Δ | Δ | Δ |
It was determined during the Board of Directors mid-winter meeting in January 2012 that Vice President Amy Bragg and Treasurer Randy Bird, two of the original five CPSDA board members, would serve initial three-year terms, as required to set the rotation of nine board positions in motion (see positions 4 and 5 in chart above). All other Board members will serve two-year terms. There are no term limits, so board members can run every two years to retain their seat on the Board. Every newly configured Board of Directors will convene during the Annual Conference each May to elect four officers (President, VP, Secretary and Treasurer) for one-year terms. Board members can choose to keep officers in the same position for as long as those officers remain on the Board. The five remaining board members will be assigned to chair a committee (see top of this page), as determined by the Board, with the President serving as final arbiter if a vote is tied.
