Who We're Currently Looking For

The American Hiking Society Board of Directors is currently accepting applications to fill up to 2-4 Board seats with 3-year terms commencing January 1, 2025. Interested persons should read “What it Means to be a Board Member” and then complete and submit the Board Member Nomination Form  (and optional cover letter and/or resume) no later than July 31, 2024. Interviews of qualified candidates will occur August, and the Board will make its selections and notify selected candidates in October. 

We consider many criteria when reviewing nominations. In fulfilling the 2-4 open Board seats, all candidates who share a passion for AHS’s mission of empowering all to enjoy, share, and preserve the hiking experience are encouraged to apply. 

This year, we are looking for people with experience and/or identify with one or more of the following to help broaden the diversity of the Board’s expertise and perspectives in service of supporting AHS, it’s mission, and the hiking community: 

  • Persons with any of the following competencies/skills/interests/connections:
    • Fundraising
    • Connections with Private Foundations
    • Networking
    • Public Relations
    • National Media: Traditional print, digital, and/or television
    • Maryland Attorney (licensed)
    • Information Technology (IT)
  • Persons that identify with any of the following communities:
    • Black, Indigenous, and People of Color; particularly persons that identify as any of:
      • Asian American and/or Pacific Islander
      • Black
      • Indigenous
      • Latino/a
    • Persons with disabilities (of any nature)
    • LGBTQIA2-S, particularly:
      • Non-binary
      • Transgender
  • Persons who have completed AHS’s NextGen Trail Leaders program and/or aged 30 or under as of January 1, 2025.

What it Means to be on the AHS Board

Founded in 1976, American Hiking Society is the only national advocacy organization specifically for the hiking community.  Our advocacy focuses on the needs of the hiking community, from championing justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion (JEDI) in the outdoors to protecting public lands. Our volunteer trail service programs —Volunteer Vacations, Alternative Break, and National Trails Day® — bolster our advocacy through developing lifelong outdoor activists and emerging outdoor leaders. In 2018, AHS launched NextGen Trail Leaders, an activist ambassador program that comprises a group of 18 – 40 year old leaders and influencers in outdoor conservation and JEDI.

Check out the 2024 class of NextGen Trail Leaders.

Check out AHS’s current Advocacy activities.

Check out this year’s Volunteer Vacations schedule.

The AHS Board:

The by-laws call for a Board of 10-24 members. We aim for a diverse board (age, gender, sexual orientation, ethnicity, geography, profession, etc.). Three (3) Board seats are reserved for persons that either: (a) are/were aged 30 or under at the commencement of their first Board term; and/or (b) have completed AHS’s NextGen Trail Leaders program.

Annual Budget as of 2022 (990 Form): roughly $1,009,217; see also 2023 Annual Report

Mission:  Empowering all to enjoy, share, and preserve the hiking experience.

Website: https://americanhiking.org

Twitter/Facebook/Insta: @americanhiking

Board Terms: 3 years (can serve 2 terms without serving as an Officer; can serve an additional 3 years as an Officer)

Board Contributions:

Each Board Member is expected to make a meaningful gift annually, and to make AHS one of the top priority nonprofits to which they donate annually.

Beyond their individual annual donation, it is expected that every Board Member will devote a significant portion of their AHS-focused time on fundraising to do their part to grow the annual budget. Such fundraising can be in the form of direct fundraising activities and/or tangential support such as (but not limited to): making connections for the Executive Director and senior Staff with corporations, foundations, and prospective individual donors; writing thank you notes to current donors; and regular, timely awareness-raising about AHS programs, news, and fundraising campaigns via the Board Member's business and personal contacts through direct contact and/or social media accounts.

The obligations of Board members are to:

  1. Abide by our Commitment to All Hikers.
  2. Attend and actively participate in four Board meetings per year, a maximum of two of which may be in-person (one near the Washington, DC metro area and one elsewhere in the country) with the remaining occurring via videoconference.
    • For all meetings: Board members are expected to prepare in advance by reviewing read-ahead documents as provided.
    • For in-person meetings: Board members further are expected to make every effort to join these meetings in-person to allow for fuller participation and better team bonding, to arrive in time for the meeting (typically, but not always, beginning late Friday afternoon), and (as ability allows) to participate in the group hike/trail service project on the last day (typically Sunday)[1].  Board Members are also expected to cover their own travel and lodging costs as well as most of their food (except for 1-2 catered meals)[2].
    • The Executive Director and most or all Staff attend Board meetings.
  3. Serve on and actively participate in the work of at least two Committees.
    • Most members serve on no more than two. Owing to the wide geographic diversity of the Board, committee meetings are held as monthly, bi-monthly, or as-needed video-conferences. Each Committee is assigned a Staff liaison, and the Committee may invite (with Board Chair approval) external Non-Board Members to serve as voting Committee Members. Committees may be tasked with writing Board policies, assisting Staff (e.g., reviewing National Trails Day® Community Grant applications, brainstorming around specific projects, networking, etc.), providing input to grading progress against the organization’s Strategic Plan, providing training to the Board, among many other duties.
    • Committee assignments are based on a Board Member’s interest, expertise, and the Board’s need.
  4. Under the guidance of the Development Committee, Executive Director, and Development staff, assist with AHS fundraising in the following ways:
    • Writing thank you cards to donors
    • Introducing AHS Staff to potential donors (individuals, foundations, and/or corporations)
    • Promoting AHS online fundraising campaigns using provided fundraising toolkit
  5. Follow AHS accounts on all social media platforms utilized by AHS (currently Facebook, Twitter/X, Instagram, and LinkedIn) for a full understanding of what AHS does and to keep up-to-date; and engage/share/etc. with AHS on those platforms to the extent time/interest/ability allows.
  6. Participate in AHS-sponsored events as much as possible, including National Trails Day®, Hike the Hill®, State of AHS, and other opportunities such as tabling for AHS at events local to the Board Member.
  7. Annually, sign the:

[1] Every effort will be made to accommodate any Staff or Board Members with disabilities.

[2] Typically, a room block is reserved in reasonably priced lodging, and information is provided about nearby alternative lodging.  Friends and family are usually welcome to join the group hike as well as most meals and any welcoming social event (with the Board Member covering those costs).

What it Means to be on an AHS Committee as a Non-Board Member

Founded in 1976, American Hiking Society is the only national advocacy organization specifically for the hiking community. Our advocacy focuses on the needs of the hiking community, from championing justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion (JEDI) in the outdoors to protecting public lands. Our volunteer trail service programs — Volunteer Vacations, Alternative Break, and National Trails Day® — bolster our advocacy through developing lifelong outdoor activists and emerging outdoor leaders. In 2018, AHS launched NextGen Trail Leaders, an activist ambassador program that comprises a group of 18 – 40 year old leaders and social media influencers in outdoor conservation and JEDI.

Check out the 2024 class of NextGen Trail Leaders.

Check out AHS’s current Advocacy activities.

Check out this year’s Volunteer Vacations schedule.

The AHS Board:

The by-laws call for a Board of 10-24 members. We aim for a diverse board (age, gender, sexual orientation, ethnicity, geography, profession, etc.). Three (3) Board seats are reserved for persons that either: (a) are/were aged 30 or under at the commencement of their first Board term; and/or (b) have completed AHS’s NextGen Trail Leaders program.

Annual Budget as of 2022 (990 Form): roughly $1,009,217; see also 2023 Annual Report

Mission:  Empowering all to enjoy, share, and preserve the hiking experience.

Website: https://americanhiking.org

Twitter/Facebook/Insta: @americanhiking

Board Terms: 3 years (can serve 2 terms without serving as an Officer; can serve an additional 3 years as an Officer)

Non-Board Member Committee Member Monetary Contributions:

Non-Board Member Committee Members must be an annual or monthly donor to AHS.

The obligations of Non-Board Member Committee Members are to:

  1. Abide by our Commitment to All Hikers.
  2. Serve on a Committee:
  3. Annually, sign the Volunteer Confidentiality Agreement.
  4. Under the guidance of the Development Committee, Executive Director, and Development staff, assist with AHS fundraising in the following ways:
    • Writing thank you cards to donors
    • Introducing AHS Staff to potential donors (individuals, foundations, and/or corporations)
    • Promoting AHS online fundraising campaigns using provided fundraising toolkit
  5. Follow AHS accounts on all social media platforms utilized by AHS (Facebook, Twitter/X, Instagram, and LinkedIn) for a full understanding of what AHS does and to keep up-to-date; and engage/share/etc. with AHS on those platforms to the extent time/interest/ability allows. 
  6. Participate in AHS-sponsored events as much as possible, including National Trails Day®, Hike the Hill®, State of AHS bi-annual webinar, and other opportunities such as tabling for AHS at events local to the Committee Member.