One of the most valuable resources NAMA has is our members. Many of our members contribute to NAMA’s success by volunteering, including those who donate time and effort as board and committee members. These volunteers—who represent many areas across the country and bring a wide variety of perspectives and experience from different schools and professional disciplines—help NAMA staff stay in touch with how to best serve our members and the larger Ayurvedic community.
These volunteers help guide the continued evolution of NAMA’s PACE program. They help us optimize our website so that members, prospective members, and new students of Ayurveda can easily access relevant information. Most important, they are an inexhaustible source of fresh ideas on how to advance NAMA’s goal of nurturing the growth of Ayurvedic medicine in the United States.
Just as NAMA benefits from the support of volunteers, our volunteers are enriched by the experience of helping NAMA. We asked some of them to share with you why they volunteer.
I am so grateful to have the opportunity to serve on a NAMA committee! I am excited to contribute to the growth of Ayurveda and to be a leader in this industry, even as just a student. Serving on a NAMA committee allows me to strongly connect to the community and offers me the chance to build stronger relationships within it. It also helps me stay “in the know” of what is happening in the organization and in the industry.
Maria Radloff, Utah
Students Subcommittee
Volunteering helps me to connect with fellow students and Ayurveda experts who help broaden my vision and provide opportunities to learn about different avenues of Ayurveda; plus it gives me a chance to know them and their accomplishments in depth.
Sonali Rajput, California
Students Subcommittee
It has been a great joy and honor for me to be part of this amazing pioneering force supporting and representing Ayurveda here in the USA. We have come so far and done so much, yet have so much more to do. It is exciting to be on this journey helping Ayurveda to become fully rooted here in the West. I'm grateful for all the benefits NAMA has to offer now and for those that are sure to come in the future!
Antonio Aragona, AD, Pennsylvania
Professional Members Subcommittee
I volunteer with NAMA because I want to help Ayurveda grow in the U.S. I enjoy having a seat at the table, meeting other Ayurvedic professionals, and learning ways to make my practice more successful in the process.
Heather Grzych, AP, California
Professional Members Subcommittee
Might you have the time, energy, and passion to help make NAMA better? The Students Subcommittee; Professional Members Subcommittee; the Research and Education Committees; and the Communications Committee (which is scheduled for launch later this year) all need volunteers who can fill openings now or as they become available.
Here is what each volunteer group is looking for:
Communications Content Creation Committee – Open to all member levels. Looking for persons with experience in technical and creative writing
Education Committee – Must be a Professional or Organizational Member with a passion for education and strong organizational skills.
Membership Committee/Students Subcommittee – Must be a current Student Member. Help serve and grow NAMA student membership.
Membership Committee/Professional Members Subcommittee – Must be a Professional Member. Help serve and grow NAMA professional membership.
Research Committee – Open to all member levels. The committee works to promote research in the Ayurvedic community at the annual conference and in publications. Looking for persons with research experience and a publication track record.
The time needed to volunteer varies for each committee or subcommittee, but it is at least one-hour per month for its monthly phone call meeting, and most require a few more hours per month in-between meetings to work on a project or conduct outreach emails or phone calls.
Lastly, NAMA is looking for a Treasurer. This person will be part of NAMA’s Executive Committee. Must be highly skilled with QuickBooks, financial reporting, and budget forecasting, preferably with a non-profit.
If you are available, qualified, and eager to make a meaningful contribution in any of these areas, please email Jolynne, NAMA’s Membership Manager, for more information.