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! 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 29.

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: Communications Director
• Programming Team: Awards Chair, Civic Design Chair, Programming Coordinator
• Communications Team: Social Media Content Creator, Creative Community Ambassador
• Operations Team: Sponsorship Coordinator

🚨 New Role Alert 🚨

We’re opening a new short-term Design Fellow board role for designers looking to expand their portfolios and make a real impact. In this 3-month position, you’ll work with our Communications team to craft promotional materials for AIGA DC programs and initiatives.

As a Design Fellow, you’ll receive free entry to AIGA DC events during your term, a stipend to support your AIGA membership, and the opportunity to create portfolio-ready work that delivers positive impact to the DMV’s design community.

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. 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 recruitment period, new board members are onboarded in May and officially begin their terms on June 1. The annual board retreat and planning session is in August. 

Monthly board meetings, events, and regular communications occur year-round, with breaks from board meetings in December, July, and August.

What is the Selection Process?

The Application

In addition to some questions about your experience and interest 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.
• A video recording or written responses to our STAR Method interview questions.

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 in-person meetings 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

For the 2026 recruitment period, offers to join the board will be sent the week of April 26. 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 March 19 at 6:30 p.m. 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. The recording will be made available on our website if you can’t make it in real time.

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