Varied Voices Help Us All Be Heard

Anji Miller, MSc PhD CLP RTTP, LifeArc Lead, Innovation Hubs for Gene Therapy/Senior Business Manager, LifeArc, UK

Almesha L. Campbell, Ph.D., Vice President for Research and Economic Development, Jackson State University

Left: During the AUTM Board meeting in Washington, DC, in July, Anji (left) and Almesha (right) visited the National Museum of African American History and posed with a photo of Sojourner Truth.

As the world continues to change, so too must boards and those who join and represent others. The world has always been diverse, however, until recently most boards and committees were not reflective of the real world.

Currently, there is no uniform definition of board diversity. Traditionally speaking, one can consider factors like age, race, gender, educational background and professional qualifications of the directors to make the board less homogenous. Some may interpret board diversity by taking into account less tangible factors like life experience and personal attitudes.  In an ideal world, a board would represent the community that it serves. A board with a wide range of expertise, diverse voices, diverse backgrounds, and diverse lived experiences can help the evolving association adjust and succeed.

It is no secret and is widely evidenced that boards with a broader range of perspectives at the table do better than those without diversity (1). Some time ago, AUTM made a concerted effort to recruit more diverse board members that better represented both the AUTM membership and the tech transfer community. This intentionality has created a current board that is more diverse and representative of our community than ever before.

With nominations now being accepted for our next slate of candidates, we are excited to welcome even more diverse voices into the fold of AUTM service. We seek nominees who represent a wide variety of genders, races, ages, abilities, perspective of mind, positions in professional careers, office sizes and locations. It is our goal to create a board of directors that truly reflect our members and our mission most accurately, as well as represent the expanding role of tech transfer professionals.

Currently the AUTM board appears diverse in gender, however there is still room for improvement. As a global professional association, our goal is to welcome more representation from our membership, including minorities, members of the LGBTQIA+ community, those who are differently-abled, as well as those that are in tech transfer adjacent fields.

Serving on AUTM’s Board of Directors is an opportunity to use your voice, share your skills and expertise, and have a positive, lasting impact on the technology transfer sector. Additionally, serving in such a high-ranking role not only will help you advance professionally, but also offers a chance for you to improve your personal leadership skills.

1. Diversity Wins: How Inclusion Matters