Anyone who wishes to serve on the Board of Directors must first apply by completing a Biography Form each cycle they wish to be considered. Once your form is submitted, there are three ways to become a nominee to the Board:

• Through the Board’s Nominating Committee: The Board Nominating Committee selects nominees Officer, At Large and Patient & Donor Affairs positions. These nominees compete in the national election on contested ballot positions.
• Through your Regional Nominating Committee: Each OPTN Region’s Nominating Committee selects nominees to participate in a regional election for Associate Regional Councillor/Regional Councillor-Elect. Associate Councillors serve a two-year term to the MPSC before participating in the national membership election on a non-contested ballot position for Regional Councillor to the Board of Directors.
• Via a Medical/Scientific Society: Five professional transplantation societies select nominees from their membership to participate in the national election on non-contested ballot positions.
  • The American Society of Transplantation (AST)
  • The American Society of Transplant Surgeons (ASTS)
  • The Association of Organ Procurement Organizations (AOPO)
  • The American Society for Histocompatibility & Immunogenetics (ASHI) or The College of American Pathologists (CAP)
  • NATCO

The Board slate is developed in alignment with the Nominating Committee’s annual needs assessment, identifying the key skill sets, expertise, and perspectives most needed in the coming year. Membership on the Board of Directors is open to transplant professionals and members of the general public alike.

For more information about the Board of Directors, visit https://optn.transplant.hrsa.gov/members/get-involved/.

Only designated voting representatives of OPTN members with voting privileges and member electors may cast a vote in the annual Board election.

Membership categories with voting privileges are:

• Transplant hospital members (one vote per hospital)
• OPO members (one vote per OPO)
• Histocompatibility laboratory members (one vote per independent laboratory)
• Medical/scientific members (one vote per member)
• Public organization members (No more than 12, cast by public organization member electors)
• Individual members (No more than 12, cast by public organization member electors)

Complete details on voting privileges are outlined in the Bylaws. You may request the name of your organization’s designated voting representative by contacting elections@unos.org.