Thank you for your interest in joining the LandPaths’ board! Please read through the following information before filling out the application to ensure a good fit!
Vision: Our board reflects the diverse racial, ethnic, gender, sexual identity, abilities, and socioeconomic communities and cultures of Sonoma County.
LandPaths’ mission is to foster a love of the land in Sonoma County. We achieve this mission by connecting ALL people with the land, and we understand that addressing cultural and racial equity is an integral component of this work. Our board is committed to develop a culture and institutional policies that support internal and external equity and justice.
Diverse: We believe the individual leaders who compose our board are a reflection of the organization’s values and beliefs. We can better achieve our mission by drawing on the skills, talents, and perspectives of a broader and more diverse range of leaders; the diversity of viewpoints that comes from different life experiences and cultural backgrounds strengthens board deliberations and decision-making.
Inclusive: We work to build a culture of trust, candor, and respect — none of which is possible without a culture of inclusion. All board members are encouraged to bring their perspectives, identity, and life experience to their board service. Our board welcomes and celebrates differences and ensures that all board members are equally engaged and invested, sharing authority and responsibility for the board’s work
Equity-focused: We have an awareness of how systemic inequities have affected our society and a willingness to interrogate the organization’s role in perpetuating those inequities.
Commitment to Learning: We begin this process by acknowledging that the changes needed may be challenging. We are continuing to evolve by educating ourselves on the roots of inequities, white supremacy, racism, sexism, ageism, gender differences, power and privilege dynamics with regular conversations, dialogues with partners, and specific training and small group coaching.
We understand that the first step toward our goal is to do the individual and group work necessary for organizational change to occur. This work is the foundation for the future of LandPaths, to ensure that new board members feel welcomed and supported with a sense of shared cultural acceptance, understanding, and purpose.
Continuing the Change: With the addition of new board members, the Board is developing board member agreements to re-imagine policies that support a multi-cultural, inclusive perspective. Our goal is that our policies and procedures uphold antidiscrimination principles and practices. The list of policies and procedures that demand rethinking is long.This work will require brave spaces that support courageous conversations about race, gender, and implicit biases, and a culture of learning.
Our goal is to change and broaden our assumptions and perspectives about our mission, its connections with community needs, and the roles and responsibilities of board members. We are actively working to promote the culture of learning needed to create an entity that is mission-focused, anti-racist, anti-sexist, just, and equitable.
Board Member Minimum Commitment:
- Attend 9 Monthly Zoom or in-person Board Meetings
- Attend 1 Annual Zoom or in-person Board Retreat Meeting
- Serve on at least one board committee that may meet Zoom or in-person. Committee service may require additional work on project-based or action items
- Attend LandPaths’ events when available.
- Attend LandPaths’ board/staff gatherings when available.
- Participate in board trainings (TBD by the Board)
- Make financial contributions as able and in amounts that are comfortable.
Desirable Candidate Qualities (desired attributes, skills, strengths, leadership styles):
- Interest in fostering a love of the land in Sonoma County
- Working and active knowledge of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Access, AntiRacism and Justice values
- Diverse representation of all people in Sonoma County (Race, Ethnicity, Gender, Sexual Identity, Abilities, Age, and Socioeconiomic status)
- Committed to participating in Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Accessibility, Anti-Racism, and Justice training. and other learning forums, to create a board informed on issues of power imbalance, privilege, and antiracism
- Lived experiences, cultural perspectives, cultural identity, and cultural practices honored.
- Previous board experience not required but honored (Mentors will be provided for new board members)