Serve on CLARB's Leadership Advisory Council

The Leadership Advisory Council (LAC) is responsible for ensuring that CLARB has the most effective, qualified individuals to lead us toward our organizational goals. The group assesses the nominations for CLARB leadership positions (Board of Directors and Leadership Advisory Council) and produces a slate of qualified candidates.

Timeline  |  Expectations & eligibility  |  Values  |  Resources  |   Get involved

 

LAC

Complete the candidate interest form to nominate yourself or someone else to serve on CLARB's Leadership Advisory Council.

Terms begin October 1, 2025.

Now accepting nominations

for 2 positions
through November 30, 2024

Apply by Nov. 30

Annual work timeline

October-November

  • Orient new LAC members
  • Kickoff meeting
  • Continue outreach, recruiting
  • Nominations close November 30

December-February

  • New LAC members attend new BOD orientation
  • All LAC members attend BOD meeting
  • Conduct nominee and reference calls
  • Conduct nominee webinar

March-May

  • Determine nominees to interview
  • Conduct nominee interviews
  • Complete recommendations for leadership

June-September

  • Conduct debrief on year's work
  • Kick off next year
  • Attend BOD leadership needs discussion
  • Begin outreach and recruiting for next year
  • Attend CLARB Annual Meeting
  • Nominations open


LAC

Council responsibilities

  • Create and maintain a complete list of all eligible candidates for leadership positions.
  • LAC members are engaged and work is appropriately distributed.
  • Tasks are completed on time and in accordance with CLARB Bylaws.
  • Communications with members, potential candidates and nominees are timely and clear.


Member contributions

  • Provide timely, candid, thoughtful perspectives and insights to the chair and to staff.
  • Ensure tasks identified are aligned with the process as identified in the Bylaws.
  • Provide input to the Board on the challenges and opportunities in the current process of identifying and producing a slate of candidates for the LAC and elected/appointed offices.
  • Serve a three-year term (October 1, 2025 – September 30, 2028; while serving on the LAC, members are unable to run for the CLARB Board of Directors).
  • Participate in all LAC meetings.

View full responsibilities (PDF)

Future leadership perspectives

The LAC has identified these perspectives as future leadership needs of the organization. We encourage candidates with the following perspectives to get involved:

  • Hiring/interviewing experience: A huge part of what the LAC does is reviewing applications and talking with nominees to determine who will be best to suit the leadership needs of the organization. Having prior experience hiring and interviewing is an asset to the team. 
  • Mentoring and/or leadership development experience: Do you have experience as an informal or formal mentor or helped with leadership development activities/programs? These skills are also helpful for the LAC’s work in determining where nominees might fit best in CLARB’s volunteer opportunities, as well as continuing to improve our development opportunities for future leaders.

Desired strengths

        Interpersonal skills

        LAC members engage with nominees and references, and the ability to draw strategic information from interviewing is key to the success of the LAC's vetting process.

        Open-mindedness

        The work of the LAC may require putting aside biases and presumptions to ensure we recruit the most effective, qualified individuals.

        Strategic thinking

        The LAC focuses on the future needs of the organization in order to create a balanced leadership team to help advanced the CLARB 2.0 strategic work.

        Structure & eligibility

        Structure

        Structure

        • Six of the LAC's seven total members serve three-year terms.
        • Two new members are elected by CLARB membership each year.
        • The seventh member and chair is CLARB's past president, who serves on the LAC for one year.

        Eligibility

        • Engagement in CLARB, which includes (but is not limited to) Annual Meeting attendance, CLARB webinar/”In the Know” attendance, serving on a CLARB committee or work group, or serving as a Member Board Member or Member Board Executive.
        • Current or past service on a board.
        • Majority of LAC must be licensed or board staff.

        Chuck Smith

        "Learning to be a leader is a gift that keeps on giving. The hours of training and leadership coaching I have received have benefited both my professional life and personal life."

        Chuck Smith, FASLA
        CLARB Past President and LAC Chair

        Julia Manley

        "I’ve not only had the privilege of contributing to the betterment of CLARB and the Landscape Architecture profession, I’ve enhanced my own skills and abilities, challenged my viewpoints, and gained the skill of foresight, not just in relation to the landscape architect profession and regulatory environment, but in relation to my own life and career."  

        Julia Manley
        LAC Member

        Kinney

        "I volunteered because I believe in mentorship, growing the profession, engagement across disciplines, and the importance of giving back to a field that has given our communities so much."

        Edward Kinney
        Former LAC Member and Current Director-at-Large

        Values

        CLARB seeks LAC members who exhibit leadership competencies aligned with the organization's values:

        • Lead with Vision: Planning for the future with creativity, wisdom, and foresight.
        • Act with Integrity: Operating with transparency and in alignment with our values and principles.
        • Demonstrate Thought Leadership: Building trust and influence within our community.
        • Aspire to Excellence: Striving for continuous improvement through learning, growth, and development.
        • Foster Inclusive Community: Cultivating meaningful connections among our stakeholders.
        • Engage as Stewards: Managing the organization’s resources and mission with care and respect.
        • Design Collaboratively: Engaging stakeholders and partners to develop and achieve mutually beneficial outcomes.

        Resources for prospective LAC members

        Estimated time commitment

        • In-person meetings: Up to 5 days/year (not including travel days)*
        • Annual Meeting: 3 days
        • Virtual meetings: 1-2 hours/month
        • Meeting preparations: 20-25 hours/year

        Travel

        Volunteer travel expenses are funded by CLARB, including:

        • Airfare
        • Ground transportation and parking
        • Lodging
        • Meals

        Investing in leadership

        We believe that investing in our volunteer leadership is one of the best ways to ensure the future success of our organization. Strong leadership empowers CLARB's vision, mission and values. CLARB is committed to providing volunteers with the resources and support they need to be successful, so we offer a robust leadership development program.

        Leadership Development

        Tentative meeting dates

        While schedules change from year to year, a typical year includes monthly virtual meetings (2 hours each) with a 2-day in-person meeting in April. As appropriate, the LAC attends the December Board meeting.

        Dates and locations are not yet final but will be provided at the start of each fiscal year.

        FY 2026

        October 1, 2025-September 30, 2026

        Meeting dateLocation

        December 11-12, 2025

        TBD

        April 16-18, 2026

        Reston, VA

        September 17-19, 2025

        TBD (Region 3)


        FY 2027

        October 1, 2026-September 30, 2027

        Meeting dateLocation

        December 10-11, 2026

        TBD

        April 15-17, 2027

        Reston, VA

        September 23-25, 2027

        TBD (Region 4)


        FY 2028

        October 1, 2027-September 30, 2028

        Meeting dateLocation

        December 9-10, 2027

        TBD

        April 27-28, 2028

        Reston, VA

        September 14-16, 2028

        TBD (Region 5)


        Elections timeline

        Call for nominations:  September-November

        Committee review:  December-April

        Board approval of election candidates and appointments: May

        Slate of candidates, biographies and ballots released. Elections begin: June

        Elections end. Results announced: August-September

        Terms begin for newly-elected and appointed leadership: October

        Board of Directors

        Now accepting nominations

        for 2 positions
        through November 30, 2024

        Apply by Nov. 30

        If you have questions about joining CLARB's Leadership Advisory Council, please contact:

        Andrea Elkin
        PMO Manager
        aelkin@clarb.org 
        571-432-0332 x128
        703-949-9470 (direct)