Open Letter to Members: Clarifying Our Board Election Process
Dear PSIA-AASI Western Members,
Thank you for your passion and engagement in our organization’s governance—it’s what makes our community strong. We’ve heard from members concerned about the new member and education staff endorsements, as well as the timing of the candidate town hall before the application deadline. We take this feedback seriously and want to provide full transparency on these matters.
- Source and Purpose of the Endorsements
The idea for endorsements originated from hundreds of personal endorsements sent by members like you. The Board sought to make this process shared and transparent, specifically to help all members feel more informed and engaged in the election cycle. The Board has affirmed that positive and collective endorsements are acceptable, in compliance with our bylaws, and supported by the CEO’s interpretation.
Member endorsements at the town hall ensure every member has access to participate in the candidate endorsement process, fostering openness. Additionally, our Examiners—our most trusted and visible professionals—expressed a desire to support an engaging, positive election without personal endorsements that could compromise their integrity or impartiality. They requested a collective avenue for shared endorsements, which aligns fully with the Board’s directives and limitations. The CEO is not actively involved in endorsements and serves only in a facilitative role.
- Timing of the Candidate Town Hall
Several members have expressed concern that the town hall is before the candidate deadline, meaning candidates who apply afterward would miss the opportunity to speak to the membership. It is scheduled before the application deadline to give extra time for inspired members to apply after hearing from current candidates, with the intent to encourage broader participation. We recognize the feedback that it should come after the deadline, and the Board Election Committee has committed to reviewing all input and making the appropriate adjustments.
- Our Apology and Commitment to Better Communication
We’re truly sorry that our communication—particularly internal posts that were shared publicly—caused significant concern and felt lacking in transparency to some members. We recognize that wayward messages can create confusion and erode trust, especially when they aren’t clearly aligned with our outward-facing updates, leaving some feeling caught off guard during this important election process.
We take full responsibility for not anticipating how this might be perceived and for any distress it brought to our dedicated community. Moving forward, we’ll ensure internal communications and public member messaging are synchronized to keep everyone fully informed and confident in our processes.
- Next Steps for Healthy Discourse
Let’s channel our energy into community-focused activity: ask thoughtful questions, seek to understand, support fellow members and candidates, and share constructive feedback via email. Together, we can model positive engagement that strengthens our association.
Thank you for your understanding and continued involvement. If you have questions, please reach out.
In service to our snowsports community,
Marisa Cooper
CEO, PSIA-AASI Western
