GOVERNANCE
Seven Candidates Seek Board Election in 2020
This April, the National Speech & Debate Association will once again hold its biennial election, which will choose four directors to serve on the national Board of Directors and establish an order for alternates. The four elected directors will each serve a four-year term.
ELECTION OVERVIEW Voting via electronic balloting will be made available to all member schools April 6, 2020. Voting concludes May 1, 2020. Each school shall vote for up to four candidates. All active schools will count as one vote. The votes will be officially audited and then announced by May 8, 2020. The four individuals receiving the most votes will earn seats on the Board from August 1, 2020, to July 31, 2024. The remaining candidates will be alternates. If an elected Board position should become vacant prior to the next election, alternates, in order of finish, will be invited to the seat. For an explanation of Board roles and responsibilities, please visit our website at www.speechanddebate.org/nsda-boardbest-practices. The following columns are unedited and provided exactly as submitted by each candidate. The names appear in an order drawn by lot.
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ROSTRUM | FEBRUARY/MARCH 2020
Dr. Tommie Lindsey, Jr. James Logan High School California It is an honor to have dedicated over thirty years of my life in service to the speech and debate community. It has afforded me a truly enriching and award winning career as the Director of Forensics at James Logan High School I was elated to have the opportunity to be a representative for the many broad interests and diverse perspectives of people from across the entire nation as a member of the NSDA Board of Directors for the past sixteen years. I first started in this activity because I believe it serves as an opportunity for every child to be able to have a voice. Like many of you, I, too, have witnessed its impact. Students I have coached have testified that this activity has changed their lives and provided them with greater opportunities to fight for social justice. I am humbled and proud to see the impact that Forensics has had. I am also proud to report that during my tenure on the board we have prioritized diversifying our representation expanding on the resources and reach of the organization as a whole. My role has been to help maintain the board’s focus on these goals and to help propel the organization into the 21st century by collaborating on the development of several key initiatives. I have been at the forefront of establishing coaching caucuses to engage in conversations around diversity and representation for every voice in this activity. I was able to bring the Courageous Conversations conference to the NSDA focusing on combating educational disparities, discrimination, and racism. We have also received an overwhelming amount of encouraging feedback as a result of the inclusion workshops that I was instrumental in promoting. Finally, I have made significant contributions as a member of the Finance and Governance committees and am honored to have served the past two years as the Vice President of the Executive Council. The NSDA remains the premier organization that can usher in a new generation of student leaders dedicated to the cause of becoming the voices for the voiceless. I remain committed to furthering the organization’s mission of promoting equity, diversity, and inclusion. . . and my mission is far from complete. I wish to continue to serve on the Board of Directors for the NSDA and thank you in advance for your support and vote!