Creating and executing an event of this magnitude is possible through the dedication and enthusiasm of our incredible volunteers. As an entirely volunteer-run conference, we rely on great people who contribute their time, skills, and energy to make the symposium a success.
All volunteers are expected to work a minimum of 15 hours over the course of the symposium in exchange for complimentary registration and welcome dinner tickets. Volunteers hours are spread over the course of the three-day conference, and you may attend talks outside of scheduled shifts.
There are both leadership and non-leadership roles available for this year’s conference. Leadership roles require excellent communication skills, a calm demeanor, ability to effectively prioritize and delegate tasks, and good problem solving skills. If you are passionate about the mission of AHS and want to be a part of the core team, please apply!
Leadership Positions
Volunteer Chair [filled for AHS22]
Responsibilities
- Work with other Chairs to identify the need for volunteers during the event (e.g. staffing at registration, in conference sessions etc.);
- Recruit event volunteers (a call for volunteers will be posted on our website; sent to our community via email blast; posted on social media; applications will be collected using Typeform);
- Select volunteers based upon the specific needs of the event and the applicable background of the volunteers;
- Assign all volunteer roles and create a schedule to manage volunteers;
- Train and supervise volunteers in their roles and responsibilities including at registration booth.
- Serve as contact person for volunteers throughout AHS and answer questions from staff and attendees as they arise
Skills
- Excellent interpersonal and written communication skills
- Leadership experience (management, event planning etc)
- Ability to stay calm under pressure and address issues quickly and effectively
- Familiarity with Typeform (or similar online form platform), MailChimp, Google Groups, and expertise with Google Docs and/or Google Sheets
The majority of the Volunteer Chair’s work is done in several chunks:
- About four months in advance of AHS (selecting and notifying volunteers);
- One month before AHS (creating and communicating the schedule to volunteers);
- Two weeks before AHS (communicating trainings to volunteers);
- The day before AHS starts and the first day of AHS (training sessions the day before the conference, and managing volunteers). Volunteer Chair assistance will be needed throughout the conference in reduced capacity.
The volunteer chair must be widely available during the above times, arrive at AHS by Tuesday night or Wednesday early AM and must be able to stay through the entire conference.
Registration Chair
Responsibilities
- Manage the online registration process from the initial contact with potential attendees through check-in at the symposium;
- Maintain the Eventbrite registration page (already live) and the backend database of attendees, with society support;
- Responsible for all ticket inquiries, transfers and cancellations (requires quick turnaround on email inquiries, up to 10 per day in the weeks prior to the conference);
- During the event, the Registration Chair will, with the help of additional volunteers, be responsible for the check-in of all attendees and distribution of name badges and symposium-related items;
- Work closely with the Volunteer Chair to coordinate volunteer staffing at registration, and address any questions and concerns raised by attendees.
Skills
- Excellent interpersonal and written communication skills
- Must be willing to check email daily and respond quickly to inquiries
- Leadership experience (management, event planning etc.)
- Ability to stay calm under pressure and address issues quickly and effectively
- Ability to quickly and effectively delegate tasks to other team members, as the registration chair receives a large number of requests from attendees and presenters.
- Tech-savvy and familiar with (or quick to learn) new platforms, including:
- Event management (Eventbrite)
- Google Docs and/or Google Sheets
Work for this position is ongoing, beginning ASAP.
- Inquiries and responsibilities are concentrated in the 4 weeks prior to the conference;
- During the symposium, the Registration Chair is present at registration and serves as the main contact for attendees and volunteers
The registration chair should be widely available in July and August; able to arrive at AHS by Tuesday night or Wednesday early AM ; able to stay through the entire symposium; available via email after the symposium for about a week to help wrap up registration tasks.
Local Publicity Chair
- Ideally local to Los Angeles or knowledgeable about the area;
- Communicate with local groups and organizations whose members may be interested in ancestral health to build local support for and interest in AHS.
- Contact local press prior to the conference and communicate with them during the conference;
The Local Publicity Chair’s work is carried out primarily in the 2-3 months leading up to the conference.
Social Media Chair [filled for AHS22]
- Work with marketing team to distribute symposium updates, generate interest, and support registration via social media;
The Social Media Chair’s work is carried out primarily in the 2-3 months leading up to the conference.
Tech/AV Lead [filled for AHS22]
Responsibilities
- Liaise with UCLA A/V providers regarding A/V tech needs (computers, microphones, lavaliers etc.);
- Communicate with presenters regarding their A/V needs;
- Work with program chair to determine timeline for and method of collecting presentations;
- Collect presentations from presenters in advance of the conference and transfer to presentation laptops;
- Conduct A/V checks and work with A/V team to ensure smooth execution of tech throughout entire conference.
Skills
- Expert competency with PowerPoint on Mac and PC platforms; proficient with Dropbox;
- Extremely tech savvy and comfortable working with A/V hardware;
- Experience with A/V relating to conference execution would be an asset;
- Ability to stay calm and focused under pressure;
- Troubleshooting ability with technology.
The majority of the Tech/AV Lead’s work is done in several chunks:
- Three months in advance of the conference: communicating with the A/V providers
- 2 months in advance of the conference: communicating with the presenters, liaising with program chair to collect presentations; working with volunteer chair to determine A/V volunteer scheduling needs
- 4-7 days in advance of the conference: transferring collected presentations from Dropbox to presentation laptops;
- August 17 afternoon: manage A/V check with program chair and hired A/V team
- Throughout symposium: working onsite with A/V team to ensure smooth execution of tech
Availability requirements:
- 2-3 hours for 1-2 weeks/month in May, June, July
- Requires broad availability August 17-20 including onsite availability beginning no later than 10 am August 17.
General Volunteer Positions
Volunteers will be able to select positions in the following areas to fill the 15-hour time requirement:
- Registration
- Session volunteers
- A/V
Thank you for your interest in volunteering at AHS. Please fill out this form and we will get back to you soon.