Those interested should submit their resumes & cover letters to Julie Beem, ATN’s Executive Director no later than April 15, 2025.
Are You Interested In Being a Candidate for ATN’s Board of Directors?
Who’s ATN?
The Attachment & Trauma Network, Inc. (ATN) is celebrating our 30th year (founded 1995). Our mission is to help children impacted by trauma through their families, schools and communities. We focus on educating and supporting the adults – the parents/caregivers, educators and community leaders to learn about trauma and how to help build resilience in children.
Background
ATN has been supporting children impacted by trauma and attachment disorders since 1995. In the beginning our focus was on supporting and educating parents – adoptive and foster primarily – many whose children carried the diagnoses of Reactive Attachment Disorder (RAD) and/or PTSD. In the days before neuroscience was clear about how early childhood trauma impacts the brain and before the findings of the ACEs (Adverse Childhood Experiences) study were known, ATN was primarily a parent-to-parent support group that quickly grew to be nationwide/international through the use of the internet and eventually social media. The need among parents of children struggling with trauma and attachment difficulties has always been significant.
In 2006,2007 & 2008 we had in-person conferences that were highly impactful to the 100+ attendees. In 2011, we rebranded ourselves and launched an online Learning Center of webinars and our online store. In the summer of 2015 we pulled together several members who were both parents of traumatized children and educators and our Trauma-Sensitive Schools program was born.
In 2016 we were awarded an Angel in Adoption award by the Congressional Coalition for Adoption. In 2017 we began planning for our first Creating Trauma-Sensitive Schools Conference in DC. Over 500 people from nearly every state and 5 other countries attended in Feb 2018. We have had conferences every year since, with as many as 1700 in attendance in person and over 3,900 virtually.
In 2020 we were awarded a grant by the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation for infrastructure improvements/builds, which included the development of a Resource Directory of trauma-informed, attachment-focused clinicians and other related services and a learning management system (LMS).
Within the last 10 years, we have transitioned from the Working Board it had been to the creation of a Staff and a Board of Directors with 4 different committees. Currently ATN has three full time and one part-time employee. We still run on volunteer power in so many ways – we have both a TSS Task Force and a Parenting Task Force and conference helpers who are volunteers. We can’t imagine the organization without them.
The Board is continuing to grow into our focused roles of governance (strategic planning, fiscal guidance, growth management) and development (spreading awareness, helping to build connections/collaborations and fundraising). We’re excited about what the future holds in store.
What We’re Looking For
We’re looking for people who are passionate about our mission and have a diverse mix of the following:
Perspectives: various ages, genders, cultures/ethnicities, different parts of the country, sexual orientation, and some having personal connection to the work (childhood trauma).
Expertise: In business areas (Finance, HR, Marketing & Sales, PR, Legal, Strategic Planning, Event Planning, Non-profit Management). We also want to balance that with people representing the members/communities we serve – parents, educators, social workers/clinicians, and adult trauma survivors.
Competencies: Great communicator (in writing or as a speaker), Connector (willing to connect us with your network for fundraising, volunteers, collaborations), Prior board experience, Prior volunteer experience, Wise strategic thinker
We are looking for a blend of passion for traumatized children AND some of these skills/backgrounds that may be underrepresented on our board currently.
How Does ATN’s Board Work?
Currently the Board Requirements/Rules are few. They are:
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- Board members are elected for a 3-year term. Members are in classes, so no more than 1/3 of the board rolls off in any given year. Our fiscal year runs July 1 – June 30.
- Board attendance: Meetings are held virtually each month for 1 hour (using Zoom currently)– at a time set by when the majority of the board can attend. Meetings are recorded for those who can’t make it. Current policy: “It is required the Board members attend 75% of all regular meetings each fiscal year (9 out of 12). The Board member’s attendance can be live or by listening to a recording of the meeting.”
- Each Board member must be an ATN member in good-standing, and must complete our Level 1 Certification within the first 6 months of your term.
- Committee Involvement: Each Board member must actively participate either on two committees OR as a board officer and on one committee. Current Board-led standing committees currently are: Finance, Fundraising, Board Development and Special Issues. Board members are also frequently involved in Task Force work that involves working with staff and volunteers on programs, such as our annual Creating Trauma-Sensitive Schools Conference.
- Participate in outreach and fundraising activities: (1) making an annual and/or recurring gift as dictated by your circumstances AND (2) participating in soliciting funds by various means (i.e., mini-fundraisers, Facebook/social media campaigns, securing members, and other personal and corporate “asks”) The expectation is that contributions given to ATN by each board member are one of the top three contributions given by that board member annually, regardless of the amount.
- Attend the Annual Board Retreat. This is the one time when we’re physically together. Travel expenses are part of our annual budget to bring the Board together for 2 full days each year. (2025/26 Board Retreat is tentatively scheduled for mid July.) Retreats are set on a mutually-agreed upon time – usually the weekend, but with travel…allowing two (2) full days of planning/work time.
- First-time board members are expected to attend a Board Orientation meeting in June/July each year.
- The Board’s primary activities are:
- To Provide governance through oversight of ATN’s finances and management through attention to financial and management reports, active participation in governance-related committees, and briefings by staff.
- To act as ambassadors and champions of ATN, connecting ATN to your spheres of influence and working for the overall development (health, growth) of ATN.
- Average Board Member required commitment is 5-10 hours a month. Some board members volunteer more at various times of the year toward specific programs or task forces.
Board Members are also expected to:
- Be responsible for keeping informed of ATN’s goals, objectives and programs and events, and talk about them regularly to your sphere of influence.
- Act as a spokesperson for ATN via speaking, writing and representing ATN as requested.
- Include ATN board membership on your biography and resume, when appropriate.
- Connect ATN with people of influence that you know.
- Maintain confidentiality of sensitive information provided to you in your capacity as a board member.
- Take initiative and provide leadership as needed.
- Promptly respond to all communication from ATN board members, staff and committees.
- Declare any conflicts of interest no less than annually. Recuse yourself from discussions and voting when there is a conflict, and ask the minutes to so state.
- Bring the whole of your expertise, capabilities and sphere of influence to bear for ATN and its efforts to achieve its mission.
Next Steps
If you’re interested in being vetted for nomination to the Board, please submit your resume and a cover letter to Julie Beem at [email protected]. A representative of the committee will contact you to interview you, exploring the Perspectives, Expertise and Competencies outlined above and answering any questions you may have about ATN and our expectations of Board Members.
Deadline for submission: April 15, 2025
Thank you for considering being a Candidate for ATN’s Board of Directors. We’re very excited about ATN’s growing future and our increased opportunity to help provide more hope and healing to traumatized children in their families, schools and communities. And we’re excited that you’re interested in helping us with this mission!
Learn more about ATN:
Main website: www.attachtrauma.org
ATN’s FB Page: https://www.facebook.com/attachtrauma/
