We’re looking for creative leaders to join the AIGA DC Board of Directors and help shape the future of the DMV’s design community. Plus, we’re also recruiting for short-term committee roles to help make DC Design Week (DCDW) a success! Whether you’re ready to commit to a two-year term on the board or assist with planning and executing DCDW, there’s an opportunity for you to get involved.

Deadline to apply or nominate is March 21.

Why Join the Board?

As a board member, you’ll join a dynamic team of volunteers working to build and support the DMV creative community. You’ll have the chance to:

• Develop leadership skills and make valuable connections.
• Attend AIGA DC events for free.
• Shape the direction of AIGA DC’s programming, mentorship, awards, and events.
• Be part of a diverse, inclusive, and passionate team.

Who We’re Looking For

We’re looking for driven individuals with a vision for what AIGA DC can achieve, who bring enthusiasm and determination to the table. 

Whether you’re a writer, engineer, development specialist, project manager, or business owner, your unique skills are valuable. Diversity is at our core, and we strive for a board that reflects the rich tapestry of the DC design community. 

Be part of a team that welcomes questions, values commitments, and embraces a broad spectrum of backgrounds and experiences. Your journey with us is about making a real impact!

Open Board Roles

We’re recruiting for a lot of roles across every team on the board and are seeking passionate and committed volunteers. 

• Executive Team: Vice President, Programming Director, Executive Project Coordinator
• Programming Team: Mentorship Chair, Awards Chair, Programming Coordinator, DCDW Deputy Chair
• Communications Team: Social Media Coordinator
• Operations Team: Sponsorship Coordinator

Open DCDW Committee Roles

• Executive Team: Executive Assistant, Programming Director, Creative Director, Marketing Director, Operations Director
• Programming Team: Programming Leads
• Communications Team: Copywriter, Graphics Designer, Motion Designer, Experiential Designer, Social Media Writer, Public Relations
• Operations Team: Partnership Coordinator 

What’s the commitment?

Joining the AIGA DC Board is a two-year commitment. You can also serve for longer (and many do). At the end of each year, board members may decide if they want to keep their current role or move to another open position.

Specific responsibilities vary depending on the team and the role and all board members are expected to:

• Be (or become) AIGA members in good standing at any level. 
• Attend all required planning retreats and monthly board meetings.
• Attend major events (bonus: board members get into all our events for free!)
• Be responsive on Slack and email (Slack is our main communications platform).

The weekly time commitment varies from role to role and throughout the year.

Following our spring and fall recruitment periods, we welcome new members to the board in May (spring) and host training in June (spring). The annual board retreat and planning session is in August. 

Monthly board meetings, programming, and regular communications occur during our programming year from September through early June.

Serving on a DC Design Week (DCDW) committee is a 9- to 12-month commitment, where you’ll have the opportunity to help plan and execute one of the DMV’s most exciting design events. As part of the committee, you’ll collaborate with other passionate creatives to bring impactful events and programs to life.

What’s the Commitment?

• Timeline: Commit to serving from now until DC Design Week (typically in the fall).
• Meetings: Meeting frequency will increase as the event approaches, ranging from biweekly to weekly in the final months leading up to the event.
• Time Commitment: Expect to dedicate 4–8 hours per week, depending on your role. The closer we get to DCDW, the more involved you’ll be as we work to finalize event details.

What’s Expected?

• Active Participation: Be present at all scheduled meetings and contribute to event planning and execution.
• Collaboration: Work with your fellow committee members to bring fresh ideas and solutions to the table.
• Communication: Stay responsive on Slack and email, as we’ll be coordinating frequently to ensure everything is in place for the event.
• Attend DCDW: As a committee member, you’ll get a front-row seat to the magic of DC Design Week!
  
  

What is the Selection Process?

The Application

In addition to some questions about your experience and interests in joining the board, we’ll ask for:

• Your resume
• A description of a time when you ran something (as a team lead, a project lead, managing people, planning an event – anything.) 
• A short writing sample: A draft of an email asking someone you admire to speak at an AIGA DC event. You can make up whatever logistics you like – time, date, location, other speakers, etc. We’re looking to get a sense of how you think about AIGA DC and how you write in a professional context. A good writing sample would communicate clear directions, offer a compelling pitch, and be reflective of who our community is — a great one would also tell us a little bit about who you are and what parts of design you’re most excited about.

The Google form won’t let you save an application, so we recommend you draft your answers elsewhere and paste them in.
Preview of application questions. 

Nomination Committee Review & Interviews

Applications are reviewed by a nominating committee of board members and members of our community. The committee will arrange interviews with select applicants. 

Taking into account individual skills and experiences, and with the expectation to create a board that is diverse and reflects the community it serves, the nominating committee will recommend a slate of new board members for approval by the current AIGA DC Board of Directors.

Invitations Extended to Join the Board

Offers to join the board will roll out after two weeks of deliberation. The new board slate will be sent to the full community of AIGA DC members for approval for our executive positions.

Questions?

We will host a virtual information session on Zoom to cover more about what it means to be on the board, what the different roles and responsibilities are, and any other questions you may have about being on the board. 

Attending the session live is highly recommended as we’ll have board members available to answer questions, but we’ll also make the recording available to everyone who registers if you can’t make it in real time. 

If you have any other questions, please email us at apply@dc.aiga.org.