GALA Board Elections 2024: Call for Candidates

There are four open positions for the 2025-2026 term.

While GALA and its members have been dealing with constant change for years, it is becoming increasingly obvious that this time, it’s different. What used to be called the translation industry, the localization industry, or the language industry is in metamorphosis. The future state isn’t clear yet, but what is certain is that adaptation – and even wholesale transformation – will be required for success.

As the industry that GALA serves changes, so must the association. GALA needs leaders with excellent foresight and an appetite for adventure; a mind for strategy and a vision for the future.

We are seeking candidates that care deeply about the future of their work, their company, and their industry, and that have the leadership experience to ensure that GALA remains relevant and successful.

If you believe in an association’s power to connect people, support growth, and be a beacon of change, then we encourage you to submit your candidacy for the GALA board.

Candidate Nominations

Candidates are self-nominated. To submit your candidacy for the 2025-2026 term, log in to your GALA user profile and complete the self-nomination application. Before starting the application, review and update your user profile; many fields will auto-populate. The deadline to submit your candidacy is 24 September.

GALA’s Staff and Nominating Committee reviews all candidate submissions to ensure they meet minimum eligibility qualifications. The Nominating Committee may encourage a candidate to withdraw and/or postpone in certain circumstances. For example, if there is more than one candidate from a member company or if there is an over-representation of a particular member segment.

Eligibility Qualifications

GALA's Board should be balanced, diverse, and representative of the association's general membership. We are seeking volunteer leaders from small and large language service companies, technology firms, interpreting agencies, universities, and enterprise localization teams - from around the globe - to join the GALA Board. Successful Board members demonstrate a history of engagement with GALA, a strong commitment to the association’s success, and have personal qualities such as open-mindedness, foresight, collaboration, and integrity.

Active GALA Membership
Minimum 2 years of GALA membership within the last 5 years (need not be with the same member organization)
Mid- to senior-level professional with a minimum 8 years of industry experience
Employer’s endorsement and support
Demonstrable history of engagement with GALA through its programs and services
No conflicts of interest (e.g., serving as an officer with a similar non-profit organization, receiving compensation for products or services detrimental to GALA, etc.)
Acceptance of association policies

Submit Candidacy Board FAQ GALA Board Eligibility, Qualifications, and Duties document

The GALA Board of Directors is responsible for the strategic direction of the association. The committee convenes monthly (virtually) to discuss the association's goals and priorities. Additionally, Board members will participate on executive sub-committees such as governance and finance, and on member committees as a board liaison. Collectively, the board is responsible for the following:

Deciding matters of association policy, direction, and strategy
Identifying and addressing short- and long-term association opportunities, threats, and priorities
Establishing and dissolving committees, task forces, and working groups
Serving as board liaison on strategic member committees
Providing effective financial oversight
Assessing the association’s Executive Director

During their 2-year tenure, board members should be prepared to devote time to GALA-related activities including:

Regularly scheduled virtual board meetings
Annual in-person board meeting (in conjunction with GALA's annual conference)
Other potential face-to-face meetings co-located with major industry events
Participation in member engagement initiatives and committees
Leadership on specific association initiatives

Board members devote 3-7 hours per month to GALA volunteer work, including subcommittees. The term of office is two years: 01 January 2025 through 31 December 2026.

Candidates will be announced in October. GALA distributes one (1) ballot to the single voting contact at each GALA member company. (Partner members do not vote.) The voting contact will vote for four candidates. The candidates with the most votes will be elected.

Review the GALA Board Eligibility, Qualifications, and Duties document and the Elections FAQ to learn more about GALA's Board Elections.

For queries about GALA's Board of Directors, submitting your candidacy, or the elections process, please contact GALA at [email protected].