Volunteer with PDI-POA!
Membership in PDI-POA presents numerous opportunities for you to take an active role with Association activities, member engagement, and short term projects. We invite your participation in any capacity that works for your schedule and interests.
In addition to the standing committees, there are many ways to get involved with limited term special projects as well as year-round activities. Members are what make PDI-POA great, so we encourage you to get involved!
Below is a list of volunteer leadership positions currently or soon to be available with the Association, followed by a list of teams or subcommittees focused on particular projects, activities, or areas of work.
Annual International Protocol Education Forum Chairs
 Open positions: multiple roles for each year's Forum
Hosted by Protocol & Diplomacy International – Protocol Officers Association, the Annual International Protocol Education Forum is the flagship event for PDI-POA each year. The Forum brings together protocol professionals from around the world seeking to sharpen their professional skills and meet with colleagues in the protocol field. Planning for each year's Forum begins in August of the preceding year, with the Forum taking place each July.
Positions that may be available for each year's Forum:
Duties and Responsibilities: Planning and launching a Forum takes coordination of logistics, theme development, program and agenda development, sponsorship cultivation, communications strategy and implementation, and more. We look for a wide range of volunteers to fulfill these needs. While there is a preference for those who live in or near the location of the Forum, we also encourage volunteers with the experience needed to execute this important event each year. Chairs/Co-Chairs in each of the roles will serve for a year (focusing on one upcoming Forum), and must be appointed by the Board of Directors.
The Forum Co-Chairs are responsible for developing the theme of the Forum, developing and managing the budget of the event, soliciting presentation proposals for plenary and breakout sessions, managing agenda development, and coordinating logistical needs to support each program or activity within the agenda. The Chair/Co-Chairs work closely with the Executive Director and report directly to the Vice President for Events and Board Treasurer in coordinating the activities of the Forum Planning Team. They are also responsible for coordinating activities and planning with the Vice Presidents of Continuing Education and Professional Development, Membership, and Communications in their respective areas of responsibility.
The Volunteer Chair(s) works with the Forum Team for each year's International Protocol Education Forum to develop a list of tasks and needs to be filled by volunteers, solicit volunteers from among the membership, and assign their roles. At the beginning of the Forum, they conduct a meeting with the volunteers to review expectations and ensure that assignments are understood. Throughout the Forum, they serve as a coordinating point for the volunteers, along with the Executive Director and Forum staff.
The Sponsorship Chair cultivates and solicits sponsors for the Forum. (While the focus is on the Forum, sponsorship benefits within particular tiers extend throughout the year.) They coordinate the annual sponsorship packages with the Forum Chair/Co-Chairs, Association Vice Presidents as appropriate, and the Board Treasurer. They serve as the primary contact for businesses and entities that are solicited for sponsorship.
Upcoming Forum dates and locations:
- 24-27 July 2023: Washington, DC, USA
- 16-19 July 2024: Montréal, Quebec, Canada
- 22-25 July 2025: Miami, Florida, USA
Chairs are required to attend the Forum in person. Expenses related to Forum attendance are the responsibility of the individual, not the Association. Chairs may be asked to participate in site visits as necessity is determined by the Board of Directors.
Chairs will participate in regular meetings with the Vice President of Events and Executive Director, as well as other members of the Board of Directors as appropriate. Beginning in January of the year of the Forum, they will chair regular (bi-weekly, then weekly) meetings of the Forum Planning Team volunteers to plan and execute the details of the event.
Benefits of this role: Those who serve as Chairs of the Forum team are recognized as leaders within PDI-POA. They have contact with a wide range of organizations, government entities, hospitality and travel associations, and other partners in the host city, as well as with the Board of Directors. Planning a Forum, while a significant commitment of time and effort, is a greatly rewarding experience and will hone the skills of the team in cooperation, event planning, communications, and more.
Timeline: Chairs are appointed each year by the Board of Directors during their Spring meeting. Chairs have a term of a minimum of one year (August through July) beginning the calendar year preceding the Forum and ending after the Forum takes place. Forum Chairs may be appointed earlier than one year in advance, depending on the overall needs for the particular location and event.
If you are interested in learning more about this volunteer opportunity, please contact [email protected] and include the subject line 'PDI-POA Forum Chair' in your message.
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Social Media Chair
Open position
Duties and Responsibilities: Working with the Vice President of Communications, the Social Media Chair collaborates on the strategy for PDI-POA's social media presence and plans the schedule of social media posts to the various channels. The Chair is also responsible for writing and posting to PDI-POA's social media channels on a regular schedule, as well as monitoring the social media platforms. The Chair is encouraged to develop a committee of volunteers to assist with planning and executing the tasks of managing the Association's social media postings. The Chair will also be invited to make recommendations for improvements and future strategy to improve PDI-POA's social media presence.
The Social Media Chair will be a volunteer role taking general direction on project deadlines from the Vice President for Communications of PDI-POA and the Board.
Benefits of this role: the person that takes on the Social Media Chair role will be actively engaged with the various Vice Presidents and committees, including Continuing Education and Professional Development, Events, Membership, and Communications to develop content and highlight the activities of PDI-POA. The Social Media Chair will also make regular contact with members across the Association. You will have the opportunity to develop your professional network and hone your skills, as well as to help shape the historical record of the Association.
Timeline: The Communications Committee is seeking a new Social Media Chair. Social media posts are scheduled regularly over selected days and times each week, and can be created and scheduled in advance in coordination with the Executive Director. The work of the Social Media Chair to plan, create, and schedule social media posts can be performed on evenings, weekends, or any schedule that fits with the available time of the Chair.
If you are interested in learning more about this volunteer opportunity, please contact [email protected] and include the subject line 'Social Media Chair' in your message.
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Association Archivist
 Open position: may be filled by one person or a group
Are you into history? Do you like interviewing others and putting together pieces of the past? The PDI-POA Board is looking for a volunteer (or group of volunteers) to gather and catalogue the history of the Association.
Duties and Responsibilities: Putting together the PDI-POA story and tracking all pertinent records and photos from the past 19 years. You are encouraged to gather a team of investigators and history buffs to assist with this project. Interviews with past presidents and PDI-POA Founder, Ann Beard, are encouraged to get the details of PDI-POA’s founding through today organized and made available for our members and those who are interested in the Association. The PDI-POA Archivist (individual or committee) will be a volunteer role taking general direction on project deadlines from the President of PDI-POA and the Board.
Benefits of this role: the person or group that takes on the Archivist role will be actively engaged with a wide variety of PDI-POA members, particularly with current and past leaders of the Association. The Archivist or Archivist Team will maintain regular contact with the Board of Directors, key volunteers, and long time members of PDI-POA. You will have the opportunity to develop your professional network and hone your skills, as well as to help shape the historical record of the Association.
Timeline: The schedule is fluid with a few hard deadlines to meet each year, including archiving photos from each forum, helping to gather documentation such as past forum agendas and available workshop information, speakers, and other details.
If you are interested in learning more about this volunteer opportunity, please contact [email protected] and include the subject line 'PDI-POA Archivist' in your message.
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Subcommittees and teams - volunteers welcome!
Annual Forum Volunteers
PDI-POA needs volunteers interested in filling a variety of roles onsite at each year's International Protocol Education Forum. The time commitment is minimal, but the rewards are many! You will have the chance to interact with numerous attendees of the Forum in roles such as assisting with registration, helping attendees find breakout and plenary session rooms, arranging a group to attend dinner together, welcoming attendees and introducing a breakout session, and helping with the silent auction. Volunteering at the Forum does not take time away from attending any of the sessions, so you are assured to get the full value of your Forum experience!
If you are interested in learning more about this volunteer opportunity, please contact [email protected]
Newsletter Team
The Newsletter team strategizes on the quarterly member newsletter to develop theme ideas, create content, solicit submissions from members, and review the final newsletter for distribution. Volunteers are needed to assist with all aspects of the newsletter creation!
If you are interested in learning more about this volunteer opportunity, please contact [email protected]
Protocol Prose Book Club
The Protocol Prose Book Club meets several times each year. This member-exclusive benefit provides opportunities to connect through shared readings and gather in a virtual setting to discuss what we have learned, reflect on the ideas presented in the book, and ask questions on the topics covered. Recently, the Book Club has expanded to include the authors in the conversation. Authors discuss the book’s central themes, provide their personal perspective, and share insights about their writing process. During the sessions featuring the author, a moderator will lead the question and answer session to facilitate the conversation among readers and the author.
Volunteers for the Book Club discuss and plan the book selections throughout the year, develop member communications about the books and upcoming meetings, and coordinate with the authors regarding the discussion session, signing book plates for members, and other details of the meeting.
If you are interested in learning more about this volunteer opportunity, please contact [email protected]
Social Media Team
The Social Media Team maintains and develops strategy for PDI-POA's presence on social media channels, including Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn. The team writes and designs social media posts for each channel to provide valuable relevant information to PDI-POA members and non-member followers of the accounts.
If you are interested in learning more about this volunteer opportunity, please contact [email protected]
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