News

Nominations are now open for the Australian Association of Social Marketing (AASM) Management Committee. If you want to help shape the future of social marketing, this is your chance to step up.

Up to five elected positions are open this year, each for a three-year term. Three current terms are ending and two positions fell vacant during the current term. The election takes place at our Annual General Meeting (AGM) on 22 October 2026.

What the Management Committee does

The Management Committee runs the Association. It oversees the International Social Marketing Conference, advocates for social marketing with key stakeholders and works to lift the profile, visibility and influence of our field. Committee members also liaise with our local hubs and sit on hub committees as ex officio members.

Where we need help most

You’re elected to the Management Committee, not to a specific portfolio. The incoming Committee shares out portfolios after the election. This year we especially need people who can take on:

• Treasurer — overseeing financial administration, budgeting, reporting and governance. Financial, accounting or governance experience is a big plus.
• Membership Officer — working alongside our Senior Membership Officer on membership administration, member enquiries, engagement and retention.
• Hub Coordinator — developing our local hubs and connecting their activities with the wider Association. Events, coordination or community engagement experience would be valuable.

Other portfolios, including marketing, communications, stakeholder engagement, webinars and publications, will also be allocated across the Committee.

Who we want to hear from

You need to be a current AASM member. We want a strong balance of academic and practitioner perspectives, and we particularly encourage nominations from social marketing practitioners and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander members. Strengthening practitioner and Indigenous representation is a priority for the incoming Committee.

We also welcome nominations that add diversity across career stages, disciplines, sectors, and lived and professional experience.

What’s involved

AASM is a voluntary association with no paid staff, so the Management Committee does much of the work. As a Committee member, you’ll:

• take part in regular Committee meetings
• contribute to your allocated portfolio
• help with administration as needed
• support AASM events, initiatives and activities
• help shape the Association’s strategic direction

Before you nominate, make sure you have the time and capacity to contribute actively.

How to nominate

1. Read the 2026 Call for Nominations (Word) for full details.
2. Complete the 2026 Nomination Form (Word), including whether you’re standing in an academic or practitioner position.
3. Ask two current AASM members to nominate you. They sign the form too.
4. Email your completed form to our 2026 Elections Officer, Associate Professor Rachel Hay, at rachel.hay@jcu.edu.au by 5pm AEDT, 16 October 2026.

How the election works

If we receive more nominations than there are positions, we’ll hold an election at the AGM. If we don’t, everyone who nominates will be declared elected in line with AASM’s governance arrangements.

Can’t make the AGM?

You can appoint another AASM member to vote on your behalf. Complete the AGM 2026 Proxy Form (Word) and email it to rachel.hay@jcu.edu.au by 5pm AEDT, 16 October 2026.

Key dates

• Nominations close: 5pm AEDT, 16 October 2026
• Proxy forms due: 5pm AEDT, 16 October 2026
• AGM and election: 22 October 2026