ACB Next Generation 2022 Election

Announcing the ACB Next Generation 2022 Annual Elections

Announcing the 2022 ACB Next Generation annual elections!

The ACBNG Board of Directors is asking ACBNG members to vote on the following positions, proposed amendments to the ACBNG Constitution and Bylaws. The positions for election are:

  • President (term ending in 2024)
  • First Vice President (term ending in 2024)
  • Second Vice President (term ending in 2024)
  • Secretary (term ending in 2024)
  • Treasurer (term ending in 2024)
  • 3 director seats (term ending in 2023)

The candidates for these positions are:

  • President: Amanda Selm from Kentucky
  • First Vice President: Matt Selm from Kentucky
  • Second Vice President: Melanie Sinohui from Arizona or Moe (Monica) Carpenter from Iowa
  • Secretary: Cassie Trosper from Oregon
  • Treasurer: Maria Kristic from New York
  • Directors: Shane Aguilera from California

 

Candidate bios and the proposed amendments and resolution will be below the signature.

The 2022 election will commence as a live election during the annual membership meeting on Monday, December 5, 2022 at 8:00 PM EST. All contested elections, including any amendments and resolutions will be held electronically beginning on Thursday, December 8, 2022 at 12:00 AM EST and will run through Sunday, December 11, 2022 at 11:59 PM EST.

ACBNG must receive the votes of fifteen percent of the members entitled to vote in this election, or at least seventeen votes, for this election to be valid.  a two-thirds (2/3) vote is required for the proposed amendments to be adopted.

Voting system

ACBNG will be conducting the live election during our membership meeting on December 5 at 8:00 PM EST via Zoom. For the electronic election, ACBNG will be using ElectionRunner. Members will be voting online.

ACBNG members will receive an email on the start date, December 8, 2022 from ACB Next Generation via ElectionRunner. Please check your email. This email will contain notes for screen reader users and a unique link to the ballot.

ACBNG has elected to proceed under §29-405.20(f) of the DC Nonprofit Code. This absolves us from having to provide a list of our members, and if a member asks for the information, the member would have to state why they are asking for this information.

 

ACBNG Nominating Committee
Kristen Kelling (chair)
Anthony Akamine
Malaina VanderWal
elections@acbnextgeneration.org

 

American Council of the Blind Next Generation

2022 Annual Election Candidate Bios

 

***Amanda Selm (Kentucky)

Please tell us a little bit about yourself (e.g. what you do for work, your favorite hobbies, accomplishments). etc…

My name is Amanda Selm, and I am a stay-at-home mom from Louisville, KY. I enjoy being with my family, cooking, yoga, knitting, and just having a great time with friends and family, both in person and virtually. I love traveling and exploring new places. I have Pinterest boards devoted to specific destinations that I want to visit someday. I am also an Independent Beauty Consultant with Mary Kay, and I love helping both men and women feel confident about themselves. As far as my personal accomplishments, I was voted Miss Go Give for my Mary Kay unit in 2019. Professionally, I was an ACB and JPMorgan/Chase Leadership Fellow in 2019.

Which position do you wish to run for?? President

Please share what previous experience and strengths you would bring to the ACB Next Generation Board of Directors.

Currently, I serve as President of ACB Next Generation. I also serve on the ACB Walk Committee and the DKM Fund Committee. I believe that both my personal and professional growth as a leader qualifies me for this position. For instance, one of my strengths that has developed over the past two years is listening to my fellow leaders and collaborating with them to work together to get the job done. Another one of my strengths that I have developed on this journey is emotional management and learning to understand all sides of an argument. There are several things that when it comes to organizational development that you cannot learn from a textbook and that you can only learn from experience.

Please tell us why you are running for a seat on the board of directors?

As one of the people who started ACB Next Generation, I am running for my last term as President. My plan is to assist in succession planning to develop the next set of strong leaders of our organization. I imagine this process will be emotionally difficult, but overall, gratifying. I love NextGen! It has not only created a home for me and my friends and colleagues, but it has also welcomed over 100 members through its programs and events. I want to be part of celebrating all of our accomplishments over these next two years, both large and small. Lastly, I love our members. I love seeing them get involved and seeing them get excited when they are a part of something special.

Is there anything else that you would like for us to know about yourself?

Thank you all for your support. Whether you have been a part of NextGen since the beginning or just joined yesterday, I am thankful for you! 

 

***Matt Selm (Kentucky)

Please tell us a little bit about yourself (e.g. what you do for work, your favorite hobbies, accomplishments). etc…

I currently live in Louisville, KY with my wife, Amanda. We have two daughters, six-year-old Charlotte and two-year-old Meredith. I have a BA in Psychology and a master’s in education from the University of Louisville, and I am employed at Humana. During my free time, I am usually hanging out with the family, watching my Louisville Cardinals and Cincinnati Reds, and reading the news or listening to podcasts.

Which position do you wish to run for? First Vice President

Please share what previous experience and strengths you would bring to the ACB Next Generation Board of Directors.

I serve as the President of my state affiliate, the Kentucky Council of the Blind. I also serve on several ACB Committees such as the Leadership Training Taskforce, the Voting Taskforce, and the Information Access Committee. I believe that my greatest strengths are that I like to hear everyone’s opinion to attempt to find a consensus, and I try to think out of the box.

Please tell us why you are running for a seat on the board of directors?

I am running for my second term in this position in order to progress the work of creating this organization as a place for younger persons with in ACB. Through my work on the Membership Committee, I have attempted to provide value for our members through various programs and initiatives. I hope to continue to promote ACB Next Generation and realize its mission of growing future leaders within ACB.

Is there anything else that you would like for us to know about yourself?

I hope that my work over the past two years has earned your vote.

 

***Melanie Sinohui (Arizona)

Please tell us a little bit about yourself (e.g. what you do for work, your favorite hobbies, accomplishments). etc…

My name is Melanie Sinohui. I have been an ACB member since the mid-‘90s, starting out in Fort Worth, TX and a member of ACB Next Generation since 2020 where I am currently the 2nd Vice President and a Co-Chair on the Convention Committee. I currently live in Phoenix, AZ where I worked for a telecommunications company for the last 15 years. I hold a Bachelor of Arts degree in Journalism with a Public Relations concentration from the University of North Texas and a Master’s degree in Project Management. I enjoy reading, writing, singing, cooking, traveling, wine-tasting (especially in the Santa Ynez Valley in California), and, of course, spending time with family and friends.

Which position do you wish to run for? Second Vice President

Please share what previous experience and strengths you would bring to the ACB Next Generation Board of Directors.

I bring two decades of professional and nonprofit experience to this board with my professional experience being in process engineering, project management, people leading, and customer experience. I was elected to the ACB Next Generation Board of Directors as a Director in December 2021. Upon the resignation of our 2nd Vice President, I was appointed to fill that position in February 2022. In ACB Next Generation, I have been the Chair and/or Co-Chair of the Convention Committee since 2021. I have been an active member of the Public Relations Committee responsible, with Gregg Wandsneider, for our Social Media presence in 2021. I continue to serve on the Website subcommittee and Publications Committee where I do pagination and editing for both. Outside of ACB Next Generation, I am the President of the Central Arizona Council of the Blind, the Vice President of and Convention Chair for the Arizona Council of the Blind, Secretary of and Convention Committee Co-Chair and Publications Committee Chair for the Council of Citizens with Low Vision. At a national level, I serve on the DKM Awards Committee, the ACB Employment Committee and, most recently, the newly created ACB Media Support Committee. I was honored by being selected as the Durward K McDaniel First-Timer for the West in 2005. I have extremely strong written and verbal communication skills as I have written and edited for several book and newspaper publications, and I have presented to senior executive leadership on a regular basis for the Fortune 15 company I worked for. I do data analysis to tell the current state of a project/situation and am a facilitator of workshops to identify what needs to change and how to develop the best next stage of that project/situation. I am also hyper-organized, sometimes to a fault. I am often sought out to lend a listening ear or provide guidance based on my experiences. I am not a yes-man; I provide constructive feedback whenever applicable and use as much data as possible to defend my position. I also am someone who takes ownership of my actions, admits my mistakes, and does what I can to right any wrongs.

Please tell us why you are running for a seat on the board of directors?*

I am running for 2nd Vice President on the ACB Next Generation Board of Directors because I have found a home in ACB Next Generation. When I found this organization at the 2020 ACB Conference and Convention, I found a group of people who understood what I was experiencing in my chapter in life who grew up in the same world I did and had similar ways of thinking and understanding of how my generation interacts in the world today. I jumped in feet-first to this organization and want to continue to do everything I can to help it thrive and be here for generations to come as this connection was something I was missing, and I don’t want anyone to miss out on that again. I see my peers get closer, network, find confidence in each other, and build each other up to be the best they can be. I seek to help represent our membership, many of whom I talk and work with on a weekly basis, on the board and help give them an additional voice.

Is there anything else that you would like for us to know about yourself?

I am eager to continue to do the work our board has successfully started as well as the work we have on our 2023 roadmap to continue making this organization strong.

 

***Moe (Monica) Carpenter (Iowa)

Please tell us a little bit about yourself (e.g. what you do for work, your favorite hobbies, accomplishments). etc…

I am an Administrative Assistant for Penny Forward and serve on three boards as a Director. I also assist several other committees/affiliates within ACB that I am not a member of.

Which position do you wish to run for? Second Vice President

Please share what previous experience and strengths you would bring to the ACB Next Generation Board of Directors.

I am currently on the board as a Director and know some of our strengths and weaknesses already. I am also Chair of our Fundraising Committee, growing our bank account to already $8,000 from events held by Fundraising and other committees over the last two years. I am also part of the Publications Committee. I have been part of most other committees of ACBNG at one time or another and plan on continuing to help out when and where I am wanted. From Penny Forward, also a nonprofit start up not affiliated with ACB, I have been learning a lot about management and hope to bring some of these skills into ACBNG over the next couple of years. Finally, as a mom of four and with my oldest being almost out on his own, I feel I bring many skills learned through raising children to the affiliate.

Please tell us why you are running for a seat on the board of directors?

I truly believe in bringing people up into leadership. The mission of ACBNG is fantastic, and it is very hard to implement with all the moving parts of this world. I have an open ear for any of our members and want them to be all they can be. For me, if not now, then when? I age out of the leadership roles of ACBNG at the end of this term if I were to be elected. I feel this is my opportunity to show what I have learned over the past two years as a Director.

Is there anything else that you would like for us to know about yourself?

I grew up pretty much isolated from the blindness world, not even knowing ACB existed. Over the past two years, I have learned so much and wish to be even more involved with a movement of bringing people a more positive outlook on blindness and getting us the resources we deserve. 

 

***Cassie Trosper (Oregon)

Please tell us a little bit about yourself (e.g. what you do for work, your favorite hobbies, accomplishments.) etc…

Currently, I am a stay-at-home mom. I have taken a few classes toward my bachelor’s in psychology degree. It is a work in progress, though. In my spare time, I really enjoy spending time with my friends and family, working on church activities, and doing a little cooking and crafting.

Which position do you wish to run for? Secretary

Please share what previous experience and strengths you would bring to the ACB Next Generation Board of Directors.

I have over five years of Secretary experience. Four of these years have been ACB-related. I am currently Secretary for ACB of Oregon and also for my local Oregon chapter. I really enjoy being able to take notes during a meeting to capture the event. I really think that Greg has done a great job over the past few years, and I know I would have some big shoes to fill.

Please tell us why you are running for a seat on the board of directors?

I am running for a seat on the board because I want to have a voice for our membership. Having someone on the board that will listen and make sure our members’ voices are heard means so much. I really enjoy being able to work with our group to move us in a positive direction and set us up for great success as a special interest affiliate of ACB.

Is there anything else that you would like for us to know about yourself?

If given the opportunity, I will do my best to represent ACB NextGen and our special interest affiliate to the best of my ability.

 

***Maria Kristic (New York)

Please tell us a little bit about yourself (e.g. what you do for work, your favorite hobbies, accomplishments). etc…

Since 2017, I have been a Senior Financial Analyst for a state public authority, and I hold an MBA with a concentration in Finance and a JD with a concentration in Finance Transactions. Upon completion of my graduate studies, I received awards from the business and law schools for contributions to the field of finance and excellence in tax law, respectively. I have been a member of ACB since 2016 and have served in various leadership positions in several special-interest affiliates since 2017. As a guide dog handler, I have been asked to speak at fundraising events on behalf of my guide dog school and have successfully advocated for the construction of a new escalator at a shopping mall to replace the poorly maintained one on which my guide dog was injured. I enjoy reading and playing the flute.

Which position do you wish to run for? Treasurer

Please share what previous experience and strengths you would bring to the ACB Next Generation Board of Directors.

I already have an extensive familiarity with ACB Next Generation’s finances and structure, having served as its Treasurer since its inception as both an ACB Steering Committee and now a special-interest affiliate and also having served as one of the primary drafters of its bylaws. I have successfully applied for both ACBNG’s nonprofit incorporation and federal tax-exempt status. I also successfully established ACBNG’s bank, Stripe, PayPal, and RoundUp app accounts, increasing the number of ways through which we could receive donations and perhaps future dues payments. As ACBNG Treasurer, I prepare accurate organizational financial reports; ensure timely disbursements and reimbursements of funds; and chair the Budget and Finance Committee which prepares annual budgets in a timely manner. I also have a broad background in other ACB special-interest affiliates, including finance, bylaws, audit, and/or Web site management for Guide Dog Users, Inc. (GDUI), Blind LGBT Pride International (BPI), and Blind Information Technology Specialists (BITS). My knowledge of Web site posting enabled me to set up the payment mechanism for ACBNG’s Cookbook fundraiser.

Please tell us why you are running for a seat on the board of directors?

I have enjoyed meeting, making friends, and working with other ACB members in my age group through ACBNG, and I think we have met a significant and underserved need in the community. I believe that I have the skills and interest to continue to serve the organization.

Is there anything else that you would like for us to know about yourself?

Thank you for your consideration, and I look forward to interacting with you further at a Candidates’ Forum and at the December annual membership meeting!

 

***Shane Aguilera (California)

Please tell us a little bit about yourself (e.g. what you do for work, your favorite hobbies, accomplishments.) etc…

I am a musician from and residing in Southern California. I am a multi-instrumentalist. Other hobbies of mine include hiking, learning new things, spending time with family and friends, and doing things within my community.

Which position do you wish to run for? Director

Please share what previous experience and strength you would bring to the ACB Next Generation Board of Directors.

I was appointed as a board director for ACB Next Generation in April 2022. I’m also, at present, serving on two committees. This experience is relevant to me running this year as I have a good understanding of how the organization works. Some other strengths of mine include coming up with reasonable solutions to matters, thinking about things before acting on impulse, and getting things done in a timely fashion. I believe that that will greatly assist me if elected.

Please tell us why you are running for a seat on the ACB Next Generation Board of Directors?

I am running for a seat simply because I love what this affiliate represents. As one of Next Gen’s youngest members, 22 at the time of this writing, I feel like that will bring a good and unique perspective to the board of directors. Another primary reason I am running for the board, of course, is to serve in the best interests of the members. I believe that membership is the key to any organization like this, and I want to make sure that I represent them in my decisions on the board and their best interests.

Is there anything else you would like for us to know about yourself?

Because of the reasons I have outlined above, I believe that I would be a good choice for the Board of Directors. However, of course, it is truly up to the members and who they decide is best fit for the position. If elected, I will perform my duties to the best of my abilities.

 

Proposed amendments:

***2022-01 Amendment to change the term of the convention committee

Submitted by Melanie Sinohui and Cassie Trosper

Current Language:

  1. Terms of Office of Committee Members: The chairs and members of all committees shall be appointed for terms of one (1) year. There is no limit to the number of successive terms that any member may serve as a chair or committee member. Upon the close of each fiscal year, all committee positions shall be considered vacant. Following adjournment of the annual meeting, the President has the freedom to either reinstate the previous committee appointments or make new ones for the following fiscal year subject to the limitations set forth above and in Article IV, Section C. of this Constitution.

Proposed Language:

Upon the close of each fiscal year, all committee positions shall be considered vacant except for the Convention Committee. In the case of all committees except Convention, following adjournment of the annual meeting, the President has the freedom to either reinstate the previous committee appointments or make new ones for the following fiscal year subject to the limitations set forth above and in Article IV, Section C. of this Constitution. In the case of the Convention Committee, following the close of the Annual Conference and Convention, the President has the freedom to either reinstate the previous committee appointments or make new ones for the following term, which shall run from September 1 to August 31, subject to the limitations set forth above and in Article IV, Section C. of this Constitution.

Purpose: To align more closely with the planning cycle of the American Council of the Blind Annual Conference and Convention; to harmonize governing documents with existing practice.

 

***2022-02: Bylaw Amendment to create a separate Web site committee

Submitted by Melanie Sinohui

Current Language:

Bylaw II Section B.

  1. Public Relations and eCommunications: This committee shall develop, implement, and maintain or oversee the maintenance of, as applicable, ACB Next Generation’s Web site, social media presence, and email distribution lists.

Proposed Language:

  1. Public Relations and eCommunications: This committee shall develop, implement, and maintain or oversee the maintenance of, as applicable, ACB Next Generation’s social media presence and email distribution lists.
  1. Web Site: This committee shall develop, implement, and maintain or oversee the maintenance of ACB Next Generation’s Web site.

Proviso: Numbering of remaining committees in section to be incremented by 1 to accommodate this change

Purpose: To re-classify Web site from a sub-committee to an advisory committee, given its wider scope beyond Public Relations; to harmojmze our governing documents with current practice.

 

***2022-03 Bylaw amendment on chairing committees

Submitted by MOe Carpenter

Proposed Language:

BYLAW II: STANDING COMMITTEES’ DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

  1. No person shall be appointed to serve as chair of more than one (1) advisory committee.

Purpose: Since we have over 100 members, we should be able to find a person to chair each advisory committee. To increase opportunities for leadership, to not spread people too thin.

 

***2022-04 Amendment to restrict officers who are related from serving on the board of directors

Submitted by Melanie Sinohui and MOe Carpenter

Proposed Language:

ARTICLE VI: OFFICERS AND DIRECTORS; DUTIES; TERMS; ELECTION:

  1. Officer/Director Eligibility:

No two (2) persons who are related by either affinity (marriage) or consanguinity (blood) or who live at the same address regardless of relationship shall serve concurrently as elected Officers or Directors of the Organization. For the avoidance of doubt, the Immediate Past President is not an elected position on the Board.

Proviso: If passed, this amendment would take effect on January 1, 2025.

Purpose: to prevent conflicts and entanglements between officers and/or directors that may involve illness or divorce, to widen the perspective of the board.

 

***Resolution 2022-01 Establishing an ACB Policy for Member Referrals

Submitted by Matt Selm

Whereas, the American Council of the Blind (ACB) is a member-governed organization; and

Whereas, ACB has 68 state and special interest affiliates, which are also member-governed; and

Whereas, ACB’s Constitution and Bylaws allow for several membership types including members at large; and

Whereas, members at large are not members of state or special interest affiliates; and

Whereas, ACB hired a Membership Services Coordinator (presently Manager of Membership Engagement) in 2019 and additional related staff in subsequent years; and

Whereas, one area of focus of Membership Engagement is member growth and involvement; and

Whereas, it is generally recognized that more frequent interactions occur between members and state affiliates, special interest affiliates, and local chapters as compared to ACB at the national level; and

Whereas, increasing membership in state and special interest affiliates results in simultaneous growth of ACB;

Now, therefore, be it resolved by the American Council of the Blind in convention assembled on the [insert day] day of July, 2023, at the Renaissance Schaumburg Convention Center Hotel in Schaumburg, Ill., and on the Zoom platform, that the ACB Board of Directors establish a policy for referring members at large to state and special interest affiliates; and

Be it further resolved that this policy shall be an opt-out policy such that no action is required by the member at large to be referred; and

Be it further resolved that referrals of members at large shall occur no less than annually; and

Be it further resolved that this policy and any associated procedure be established by the opening date of the 2024 ACB annual Conference and Convention in Jacksonville, FL; and

Be it further resolved that all state and special interest affiliates create their own such opt-out referral policies.

***END

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