Application For Trustees Liaison

Board of Trustees

Submitted for consideration at the Business Conference in April 2026

Years in OA 37

Number of years of service beyond the group level 36

Date continuous abstinence began August 2012

Date maintenance began Many years ago

Summary of your OA Service

I was first appointed to the Board of Trustees in June of 2022, then elected in April of 2023. Throughout that time I have served as the trustee liaison to the virtual region, a service which has allowed me to work with a number of service boards and service bodies. During this time I served on the One-Piece Literature Ad-hoc Committee, the Board Approved Literature Committee, the Conference Planning Committee, the Board Reference Manual Committee, the Strategic Planning Committee, the International Publications and Translations Committee, chaired the Unity with Diversity Committee, the 2025 Convention Committee and currently chair the Public Information and Professional Outreach (PIPO), and the Public Awareness Committee and the Professional Tradeshows Committee.

I have brought several significant motions before the Board of Trustees, but what I am most proud of is a motion (assisted by another trustee and a convention delegate) which led to the material on our website being available now in 47 languages. During my tenure on the board OA World Service has made strides toward acting and thinking in a more global manner. We have a ways to go. But much has been done.

Before becoming a trustee I was a delegate to the World Service Business Conference four times and served on both the Conference Literature Committee and the Public Information and Professional Outreach Committees. Serving in Region 8, I was the Bylaws and Electronic Documents Chair, and PIPO Chair. I served as Region 8 parliamentarian for 1 year and also chaired the Region 8 Assembly/Convention for Miami-Dade and the Keys Intergroup three times.

At Miami-Dade and the Keys Intergroup I have served as Chair four times (not consecutively), Vice Chair, Treasurer, Convention Chair and Region Representative ten times or more (not consecutively).

At the group level I have held every position available and have started several meetings.

I can bring the following business, professional or other experience, and skill to the board:

I have a Ph.D. in American Literature and Creative Writing. I am a retired college professor having taught literature and writing for 27 years. My writing background is primarily in short fiction and screen writing, but I have been able to use such craft in OA service, writing committee material to be distributed to the fellowship, and producing a short silent film promoting the 2025 World Service Convention. I like to think that those years in a college classroom gave me experience working with various groups of people. I have developed a communication style that is direct and transparent, if not always pleasant. People do know where I stand. Late in my career I became a part owner in a very successful small business and know well the pressures of meeting deadlines (payroll) and have some experience with smart investment strategies. Most importantly, I know what I don’t know, and know who to ask for answers. I was taught that part of being self-supporting is knowing when and who to ask for help, and I do so regularly.

I would like to be a trustee for the following reasons:

In my first application I said that I felt called to do this work. I still do. I really can’t explain how I know I belong here. I would like to tell you that my work on the board is always pleasant; it’s not. I have found this the most emotionally challenging period of my recovery since my early years in OA. Far from some big ego-trip, it’s the most humbling experience I’ve had since my first third step thirty-seven years ago. But there is something so fulfilling about knowing my God is using whatever limited skills I might have in service of this program I love so much, that I do want to continue.
The board of trustees’ primary responsibilities are to oversee the administration of OA, that is, the business of OA and, most importantly, carrying out the will of the body of OA, as expressed at the World Business Conference and elsewhere. And that is so thrilling: finding ways to do what you ask us to do; carry the message to places where it had previously been unavailable; make our literature more affordable and accessible; assure that the fellowship is inclusive and welcoming; protect the image of OA and be a guardian of our steps, traditions and concepts. As a trustee liaison I get to do all this while also responding to individual members with concerns for their own recovery, their own meetings, their own service bodies. All this without sacrificing the privileges of membership in the OA fellowship, the opportunity to stand as an example of God’s power, love and way of life. Frankly, who wouldn’t want this job?

Brief account of my OA recovery story – physical, emotional, and spiritual:

I had decided to commit suicide by August 1988 if nothing changed. I was 34 years old, weighed 340 lbs (154.22 KG, 24.3 Stone), and filled with rage and self-loathing. More than the weight, I couldn’t live with the bitterness and self-hatred. August 1st, 1988 by what only could have been an act of providence, I ended up in a treatment center for eating disorders, and that night, they brought me to my first OA meeting. I did not like the meeting. I thought it was too “cute,” too feminine, but the speaker, who became my first sponsor, said something that in all my years of dieting I had never heard before. He said, “the obsession had been removed.”

I heard that and I was in.
I am now 71 (72 by the time you’re reading this) and weigh about half what I did then. I am literally half the man I used to be. But I still know now what I knew then; that unless the obsession is removed I am doomed to binge again. Working and living the 12 Steps of Overeaters Anonymous has freed me of the obsession and forced me to work on myself. I continue to face, pray about, and work on a long list of character defects. I find the more I work on my self-righteousness the less I have to worry about standing in front of the refrigerator debating an extra bite. I spend time every morning and every evening with my God, and we talk with one another throughout the day. I rely on Him and through God’s grace have come to love and trust myself. I am almost daily involved in some activity carrying the message of twelve step recovery. I was taught early on, “if you’re having problems practicing these principles in all your affairs, change your affairs.” The twelve steps and traditions have become my way of life. The result is that I am foot-stomping happy the majority of the time, and live a life of sane and happy usefulness. The Tenth Step in the OA 12 &12 promises permanent recovery. My survivors will have to let you know if my recovery was permanent or not, but for now it seems to be working—one day at a time. I am so grateful for this fact, my heart feels like it’s bursting. Thank you for the opportunity you’ve offered me, and I hope you decide to offer me a second term.

Trustee Liaison Position Description

Section 1 – Composition

The Board of Trustees shall consist of sixteen trustees. Whenever possible, a minimum of two trustees shall come from outside of North America.x

Section 2 – Duties and Responsibilities

  • Each trustee shall serve and represent Overeaters Anonymous as a whole. The members of the board, subject to the laws of the State of New Mexico, are expected to exercise the powers vested in them by law in a manner consonant with the faith that permeates and guides the Fellowship of Overeaters Anonymous, inspired by the Twelve Steps of Overeaters Anonymous, in accordance with the Twelve Traditions and Twelve Concepts of OA Service, and in accordance with the bylaws.
  • Subject to the limitations of these Bylaws, and to the action of the delegates at the Conference, all powers shall be exercised by or under the authority of, and the business affairs of the Corporation shall be controlled by the Board of Trustees. Without prejudice to such general powers but subject to the same limitations, it is hereby expressly declared that the trustees shall have the following powers:
    • To act as guardians of the Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, ensuring that they are not altered in any way, except as specified in Article XII of these Bylaws.
    • To act as guardians of the Twelve Concepts of OA Service and to promote the understanding and implementation of the Twelve Concepts of OA Service at all levels of service.
    • To conduct, manage, and control the affairs and business of the Corporation and any charitable foundation organized in conjunction with or allied with Overeaters Anonymous as they may deem best, and to make such rules and regulations consistent with law, the Articles of Incorporation, or with these Bylaws, or the action of the Conference taken through the delegates at the Conference.
    • In reference to Article VIII, Section 1, to designate a manner or method for holding meetings of the delegates or any other meeting as required.
    • To manage in such a manner as they deem best all funds and real or personal property received and acquired by the Corporation, and to distribute, loan, or dispense with the same and the income.
    • To call to the attention of any group or service body any non-adherence to the Twelve Traditions or the Twelve Concepts of OA Service which the trustee believes the group or service body has made, acting only in an advisory capacity in matters affecting Overeaters Anonymous as a whole.
    • To speak on behalf of Overeaters Anonymous in all matters affecting Overeaters Anonymous as a whole.
    • To provide for and supervise publications of Overeaters Anonymous.
    • To furnish counsel and guidance to the members, groups, and service bodies.
    • To supervise and guide education and attraction efforts of Overeaters Anonymous.
    • To provide forums for the interchange of ideas and information among groups and OA service bodies and to be instrumental in carrying the OA message of recovery to compulsive overeaters.
    • To perform such other duties as may be directed by the delegates at the Conference.
    • To prepare and present an annual report to the delegates at the Conference.
  • Specific Duties
    • The trustees shall attend Board of Trustees meetings and Executive Committee meetings, if applicable, and the annual World Service Business Conference.
    • The assigned trustee liaisons shall be the representatives of the Board of Trustees in their respective regions and at the region assemblies.
    • The Executive Committee shall have general authority with respect to the routine conduct of the business affairs of the Corporation, including the following specific duties:
      • To maintain a World Service Office and to receive and disburse all funds contributed to the World Service Office for the benefit of Overeaters Anonymous as a whole, so that the Fellowship of Overeaters Anonymous need never be organized in any legal or official manner.
      • To receive, manage, control, use, and disburse in such manner as the board may deem advantageous to Overeaters Anonymous, all gifts and contributions, monies, and properties of every kind received by the Board of Trustees for Overeaters Anonymous.
        The board must decline all outside contributions in accordance with Tradition Seven.
      • To have the books of the Corporation and any and all affiliated bodies, foundations, and nonprofit corporations audited and to furnish an accounting of all financial transactions at the regular annual meeting of the Conference.
      • To submit minutes of the Executive Committee meetings to the Board of Trustees.

Section 3 – Term of Office

Trustees shall be elected at the annual World Service Business Conference for a period of three years. Trustees may be elected at any annual Conference in order to fill the remaining term created by a vacancy except as specified in Section 8.

Trustees shall serve no more than eight consecutive years. A candidate may not run for election at World Service Business Conference if serving the full term of the proposed office would result in that candidate serving on the Board of Trustees for more than eight consecutive years.

Section 4 – Qualifications

  • Qualifications for trustee shall be:
    • Seven years in the Fellowship;
    • Five years of service beyond the meeting level, including at least two years of service as a region representative, region committee chair, region board member, region trustee liaison, or having served as a board member of a national service board;
    • Attendance as a delegate to at least two World Service Business Conferences; and
    • Five years of continuous recovery in Overeaters Anonymous as evidenced by:
      • five years of current continuous abstinence;
      • current maintenance of a healthy body weight for at least two years; and
      • emotional and spiritual growth as a result of incorporating into their lives the Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions as a new way of living.
  • Qualifications for trustee must be met at the time the application for trustee is submitted to the World Service Office. Specifically, such trustee nominees must also have:
    • Worked through all Twelve Steps;
    • Declared themselves as practicing the Twelve Steps to the best of their ability;
    • Declared themselves as committed to the Twelve Traditions of Overeaters Anonymous; and
    • Affirmed these additional qualifications on their trustee application forms.
  • Upon election, each trustee shall make a commitment of:
    • Adherence to the Twelve Steps, Twelve Traditions, and Twelve Concepts of OA Service.
    • Continual recovery including abstinence and maintenance of a healthy body weight throughout the entire term(s) of office. Each person shall be the judge of their recovery including abstinence and maintenance of a healthy body weight.
    • Compliance with all the terms and provisions of the prevailing Overeaters Anonymous, Inc. Bylaws.

Section 5 – Nomination of Trustees

  • Submission of Applications
    1. At least one-hundred twenty days prior to the scheduled opening of the annual Conference of Overeaters Anonymous, all groups within a region shall be notified by the region officers of the forthcoming Conference, with a request to all qualified members of the Fellowship of Overeaters Anonymous from the region to submit nominations to the region.
    2. Current trustees not serving as a region liaison may submit their applications for reelection to the Board of Trustees for affirmation.
  • Affirmation of Nominees
    1. At least ninety days prior to the annual Conference of Overeaters Anonymous, each region may affirm no more than three qualified nominees from applications received.
    2. At least ninety days prior to the annual Conference of Overeaters Anonymous, the Board of Trustees may affirm nominations received from current trustees not serving as region liaisons.
  • All affirmed nominee applications shall be submitted to the Conference for consideration.
  • Copies of applications must be sent to all Conference delegates at least forty-five days prior to the annual Conference (see exception, Section 8).

Section 6 – Election of Trustees

  • To be eligible for election, each nominee must appear before the delegates at the World Service Business Conference and address the assembled delegates from three to five minutes and answer questions from the floor. No new nominations will be accepted from the floor. No candidate may run for more than one position.
  • To be elected, each trustee nominee must receive a majority vote of the delegates present and voting at the time of the election.
  • If more than one ballot is necessary for any position, any candidate having less than one-fifth of the total vote will be withdrawn automatically on subsequent ballots, except that the top two candidates must remain. If no candidate has less than one-fifth of the votes, the candidate with the lowest number of votes shall be dropped from the ballot.
  • Once there are only two candidates remaining for any trustee position and neither candidate receives a majority after two additional ballots are taken, a vacancy is declared. The Board of Trustees will fill this vacancy at the second regular board meeting after Conference.
  • The newly elected trustees shall take office immediately at the conclusion of the Conference.
  •  

Section 7 – Assignment of Trustee Liaison

  • After election or appointment of a new trustee, the Board of Trustees will give first consideration for liaison assignment to the region that affirmed the new trustee.
  • Should the region affirm multiple candidates, the Board of Trustees will select the liaison from those the region affirmed.

Section 8 – Vacancies

  • Vacancies occurring among the trustees may be filled by the Board of Trustees to serve until the conclusion of the next World Service Business Conference. The Board of Trustees shall solicit the names of eligible candidates through the regions.
  • Should such vacancy occur within one hundred twenty days prior to Conference, the usual deadlines for the selection of trustee nominees shall be suspended. In this case only, resumes of trustee candidates nominated by the region shall be received by the Board of Trustees at least two weeks prior to the official opening of Conference to be considered for election at that Conference. Regions may affirm the nominations in a manner determined by the region. Copies of these resumes shall be supplied to the delegates by the opening of Conference.
  • If the regions are unable to provide applicant(s), then Article VII, Section 8 applies.
  • A vacancy created by action of the Conference delegates shall be filled as stated in Section 8.