Volunteer Leadership
Volunteer Leadership Opportunities
ASA offers members meaningful ways to grow as leaders, connect with peers, and give back to the field. Whether you’re looking to expand your skillset, build your resume, or champion your organization’s voice, volunteer leadership is your next step.
Volunteer opportunities are open to individuals who have been ASA members in good standing for at least one year. These roles offer a chance to get more deeply involved, influence the direction of ASA, and support the future of the field of aging.
By volunteering, you can:
-
Expand your professional network
-
Take on broader leadership responsibilities
-
Connect with potential partners, funders, and mentors
-
Elevate your organization’s or your own thought leadership
Advisory Councils
Term Length: Members of the advisory council will serve for a term of two consecutive years. After the completion of their term, they may apply to serve on the same council for another term, or on a different council. Advisory council members can serve a maximum of two consecutive terms, or five years. After the maximum term or year limit is reached, a two-year break is required before applying to serve again on any advisory council.
Learn more about the purpose of each Advisory Council:
Ageism & Culture: Increasing member awareness of anti-ageism resources, developing anti-ageism ambassadors, supporting older adults’ recognition in the arts and expanding society’s understanding of cross-cultural views on aging.
Economic Security: Advancing more robust policies and programs to improve economic security for older adults and assure a dignified old age, especially for older women and people of color.
Equity & Justice: Driving discourse and advocating for demonstrated change regarding elder justice, social movements, diversity and inclusion initiatives and exploring intersections between aging and racism, homophobia, gender-based or religious discrimination.
Health & Well-Being: Pursuing health equity for all older adults and their caregivers through access, education, systemic change and advocacy.
Innovation & Social Impact: Coaching and supporting members who are engaging in innovation efforts designed to have a social impact and celebrating innovation among ASA’s membership.
The Advisory Councils are currently accepting applications. Click here to apply today!
Apply by July 11.
DEI Upstanders
Time Commitment: Upstander members should expect to spend between 16 and 20 hours each year advancing the work of the group, including attending quarterly meetings.
Term Length: Two year term
ASA is not currently recruiting for the DEI Upstanders.
Public Policy Committee
The Public Policy Committee is made up of individuals from across sectors (such as business, academia, nonprofit and government), experience (including students, senior leaders, seasoned frontline staff and retired members), disciplines (such as tech, social work, community-based services, arts, community engagement and financial services) and diversity (such as members of color, members with disabilities, religious leaders and LGBTQ+ members of all ages).
Membership Requirements: You must have been an ASA member in good standing for at least one year to be eligible to participate in the committee. If you do not hold an active ASA membership at the time of selection, you will be required to purchase membership with ASA no later than September 1, 2025.
Time Commitment: Committee members should expect to spend between 16-20 hours each year advancing the work of the committee, including attending recurring meetings.
Term Length: Members of the committee will serve for a term of two consecutive years. After the completion of their term, they may apply to serve on the same committee for another term. Committee members can serve a maximum of two consecutive terms, or five years. After the maximum term or year limit is reached, a two-year break is required before applying to serve again on any committee or advisory council.
The Public Policy Committee is currently recruiting. Click here to apply today!
Apply by July 11.
On Aging 2026 Atlanta Host Committee
ASA is excited to bring our annual conference to Atlanta, Georgia in 2026. Would you be interested in joining the host committee to help welcome our members to your state?
As a committee member, you can expect the following:
- Help shape the conference and connect with the community, enhancing our collective impact on the aging field
- Serve as an ambassador for the conference, promoting it within your professional network
- Play a crucial role in organizing the opening Member Celebration party on Tuesday during the conference
- Assist with local event planning and coordination
Time Commitment: Members of the host committee will serve leading up to our On Aging 2026 conference, April 20-23, 2025. Host Committee members should expect to spend between 15-20 hours advancing the work of the Host Committee, including attending recurring meetings.
We are currently recruiting for the On Aging 2026 Host Committee! Click here to sign up today.
Apply by July 11.
ASA RISE Mentors
ASA members make the best mentors! If you are interested in becoming a mentor for the upcoming cohort of ASA RISE Fellows, please email ASARISE@asaging.org to express interest.
Peer Reviewers
The On Aging national conference proposals are peer reviewed prior to selection. ASA relies on having diverse voices represented and participating. This leadership role will take approximately 5 hours of time between Aug. 14–27, 2025.
Peer Reviewer applications will be available mid-June.
Generations Journal Editorial Advisory Board
Generations Journal is the quarterly online journal of the American Society on Aging. Each issue is devoted to bringing together the most useful and current knowledge about a specific topic in the field of aging, with emphasis on practice, research and policy. Members of the Generations Journal Editorial Advisory Board are chosen via a nominations process and serve at least a two year term with a chance to re-up for more terms. In twice a year meetings, the Generations Journal Editorial Advisory Board chooses topic themes for future issues and suggests guest editors.
The Generations Journal Editorial Advisory Board is not currently recruiting.
Board of Directors
The Board of Directors is charged with providing effective governance to the organization. Board members are the fiduciaries who steer the organization towards a sustainable future by adopting sound, ethical, and legal governance and financial management policies, as well as by making sure the organization has adequate resources to advance its mission. The board focuses on ensuring long-term goals are achieved in the manner consistent with mutual respect, and with a focus on the productive use of people and resources.
The board also governs with an emphasis on long-term organizational vision rather than on administrative details; observes clear distinctions between the board and CEO and staff roles; makes collective rather than individual decisions; models a future-orientation rather than operating from the past or present; and governs proactively rather than reactively – with this accomplished through a set of major policies and goals that serve as the board’s touchstone.
Time Commitment: Serving as a board member is one of the most challenging and rewarding of volunteer assignments. While board service is an honor, it also requires a significant commitment of time. Board members can expect to dedicate time each month to ASA service, with an increase in intensity during the months board-related meetings are held or events take place. Board members are expected to commit adequate hours to Board service per year in addition to attending four board meetings and participating in ASA programming year-round.
Board Orientation: Offered to new board members after their election.
Term: Terms of service are two years, renewable for a maximum of six years.
ASA is not currently recruiting for new Board Members.
Other Ways to Get Involved
Host a Members Only Event
Are you interested in sharing best practices, knowledge or the latest innovations with your peers?
ASA members can now share content with peers via a Members Only Event. Please complete this form to tell us more about your event. We ask that you complete this form a minimum of three weeks prior to your event, as this will maximize our ability to accommodate your request. An ASA team member will follow up with you within a week. Presentation time is limited to 35-40 mins with a required 5-10 mins for Q&A. At this time all Members Only Events are held virtually.
Pitch Us
We welcome contributions to the Generations Now blog and to Generations Today. Please keep in mind for both publications that ASA is a membership organization of professionals in the aging services sector. We are not a consumer publication, so articles should not directly address consumers. Prior to pitching article ideas, please read other articles on the site to gain a clear sense of the types of stories we tend to publish. Articles can be up to about 800 words. We also prefer articles to fall under one of our five thematic pillars: Ageism & Culture; Economic Security; Equity & Justice; Health & Well-Being; and Innovation & Social Impact.
Advocacy
As an ASA member, you’re invited to actively engage in our advocacy efforts—amplifying your voice and helping drive meaningful change. ASA periodically shares important policy updates with our members, exclusive advocacy resources and toolkits, and opportunities to take action throughout the year, including during Ageism Awareness Day and Older Americans Month. Our community is united in standing against ageism and advancing equity for people of all ages—and we welcome you to participate, share your voice, and help shape a more age-inclusive society.
Volunteer Leader Spotlight
I am proud to be an inaugural member of ASA’s Innovation & Social Impact Advisory Council. We coach ASA members who are developing new ideas in aging. Thanks to ASA, we can support the growth of other professionals in aging and contribute to the evolution of ideas and services in our vital field, all while also enhancing our skills and being exposed to new perspectives.
My involvement with ASA has been a wonderful partnership from the start. From speaking at ASA On-Aging conferences, participating as an ASA RISE Fellow, to collaborating on campaigns such as #AgesimAwarenessDay, and going live on social media channels with ASA. Each and every collaborative effort has supported my advocacy in the field of aging.
Serving on an ASA committee is a great way to make important professional connections—and lasting friendships too—among practitioners, researchers, business leaders, and public policy experts. Take advantage of the opportunities and get involved. ASA provides the best networking opportunity in the field of aging!