1. Path to AEA Leadership Role
Stan Capela
Vice President for Quality Management, HeartShare Human Services
&
AEA Chair of Recruitment Task Force

2. Today’s Objectives Develop a plan to advance your career goals.
Outline how to get on the AEA board.

3. Setting Your Goals Take the time to develop your career goals
Identify two or three with realistic time frames

4. Setting Your Goals
Let’s say you want to become a leader in the evaluation field
Think AEA – Why?
It’s a leader in the evaluation field
What about running for the AEA Board?

5. Okay So How Do I Start? Identify your areas of interest
Seek out a specific TIG that best meets your interest
Topical interest group (TIG) designed to focus on specific niches or interests within the evaluation field
For example:
Internal Evaluation- for internal evaluators
Feminist Issues in Evaluation- exploring feminist issues as they relate to evaluations
Nonprofit & Foundations- for those who work with nonprofits
Qualitative Methods- researching and examining various qualitative methods
Independent Consultants – for those who do independent consulting
Be pro-active
Reach out to the TIG chair

6. Volunteer TIG Activities
Review conference submissions.
Explore opportunities in TIG leadership
Help with the TIG newsletter.
Work on the TIG website
Organize TIG activities like seeking out speakers for special panels, arranging an annual social event

7. Okay So How Do I Start?
Identify hot topics that tie into your interests
Present at AEA conference
Become visible
Volunteer for committees
Volunteer for a Task Force
Volunteer to be a peer reviewer
Subscribe to EVALTALK
Propose an AEA 365 Blog
Run for the AEA Board

8. Running for the AEA Board
Have you been on a committee?
Have you had a TIG leadership role?
Have you presented at the conference?

9. Seek Out The Guru
Identify those individuals within the ORG that best meets your needs.
Pick their brains.
Ask questions.

10. The Path
Set your career goals
Identify your niche

11. The Path
Seek out a TIG that matches your niche
Seek out a guru or two

12. The Path Become visible Reassess your progress each year
Volunteer, for committees, task forces, etc
Run for TIG chair, program chair, etc.
Subscribe EVALTALK
Do a 365 AEA blog
Present at conferences
Ask questions
Run for AEA Board
Reassess your progress each year
If at first you don’t succeed don’t give up

13. Reassess your progress each year
Overall Path
Set career goals
Find your niche
Find a TIG
Seek out guru(s)
Become visible
Reassess your progress each year

14. Reach for the Ultimate Goal
Be daring
Seek a challenge
Run for the Board and help make a difference!