Call for Student Nominations for the CPHA Board of Directors
CPHA is the leading Canadian non‐governmental organization focusing on the pan-Canadian public health sector with links to global public health. Critical to the future of public health in Canada are the public health professionals now in training; specifically, students who are currently engaged in programs in public health and its related disciplines at the undergraduate, graduate, resident and post‐doctoral levels in Canada.
The Student Director position is a full Director position with general Board duties while also bringing a student perspective to the table. The Student Director spearheads CPHA’s current activities in relation to students and has sufficient freedom to inspire and direct further developments in CPHA’s work of student and early career professional engagement and capacity building.
The Student Director position is also responsible for chairing the CPHA Student and Early Career Professional Committee, which meets a minimum of four times a year via teleconference. The purpose of the Student and Early Career Professional Committee is to be a resource and advisory body to the CPHA Student Director. Under the Chair of the Student Director, the committee will discuss and develop ideas as to how CPHA can continue to effectively engage students and early career professionals through development of a) student opportunities sponsored by CPHA, b) recruitment of CPHA students members, and c) exploration of and support for interdisciplinary networking of public health students and early career professionals.
Expenses incurred for travel (domestic only), accommodation and meals to undertake the work of a Director on behalf of CPHA will be reimbursed according to CPHA policy.
CPHA is committed to equity and diversity in all its appointments and activities.
The Call
The Nominating Committee is seeking nominees from among its student members for one (1) Student Director for a two‐year term of office beginning January 1, 2026.
As a national, membership-based organization, it is highly desirable that CPHA’s Board of Directors include diverse members from all regions of the country.
Qualifications
The Student Director shall be:
- Enrolled as a full‐time undergraduate, graduate or postdoctoral student or resident in public health or a related discipline (i.e., community health, epidemiology, medicine, nursing, community planning, geography, etc.) for at least half of the two‐year tenure on the Board.
- Committed to the principles, values, mission, and strategic plan of CPHA;
- Interested in pan-Canadian, regional, local and global public health issues;
- An effective team player with connections to networks with relevant public health student groups; and
- Able to commit time to serve on the Board and its committees by:
- Participating in the annual conference;
- Representing CPHA as requested; and
- Assisting with student events and meetings.
CPHA is committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive Board of Directors that reflects the breadth of experiences, perspectives, and expertise. We strongly encourage nominations from individuals with identities that have been historically underrepresented, including but not limited to women, racial or ethnic minorities, First Nations, Inuit, and Métis peoples, persons with Disabilities, and 2SLGBTQI+ communities. By bringing together a broad range of voices, we can better advance CPHA’s mission and strengthen the impact of public health in Canada.
Nomination Requirements
Any CPHA student member in good standing that meets the qualifications regarding enrolment in a program of study shall be eligible for the office of Student Director without regard to geographic location. Nominations will be submitted through the online form created for that purpose. The nominee will indicate his/her consent to be nominated and be supported by two (2) persons (nominators) who have a connection to the field of public health in Canada. Nominators do not have to be members of CPHA but at least one of the nominators must be a student.
Nomination must be completed and received on or before 23:59 (PT) on Wednesday 3 September 2025.
The nomination form must be accompanied by:
- A statement of eligibility (maximum 500 words) from the nominee indicating how his/her experience fits with the skills and strategic areas being sought by the Nominating Committee; and
- The contact information of the two (2) nominators.
In addition to the above, candidates have the option to include any or all of the following at their discretion:
- Photo (head and shoulders)
- Link to a video message
- Link (one) to an online profile (e.g., LinkedIn)
The above additional information will be made available via CPHA’s website in the language in which it is provided (i.e., CPHA will not translate any of this material). All supplied materials will be published to CPHA members.
If you require assistance identifying potential nominators, log into the membership portal, and search the Member Directory (on the right-hand side of your screen to find CPHA members who you may know and can approach to support your nomination. Nominators do not have to be members of CPHA but at least one of the nominators must be a student.
If you have any questions about the nominations or elections process, please send an email to nominations@cpha.ca
The elections take place from 8 October through 18 November 2025.