WHO ARE WE?

We are HNS Conference, Inc., a non-profit organization incorporated under the laws of the State of Illinois, better known as HNS North America (HNSNA). The purpose of HNSNA is to support educational and literary activities for increasing public awareness about historical fiction in North America via a biennial conference. These conferences will provide opportunities for readers, writers, and publishers of historical fiction to meet with others who share their interests and to learn more about historical fiction from experienced presenters. These conferences will also create opportunities for writers to discuss their work with others, including professionals in the field.

WHAT DO WE DO?

The Board of Directors is responsible for planning the conference and for overall policy and direction of the organization as well as day-to-day operations. In particular, the Board of Directors shall be responsible for finalizing:

1. A suitable conference location, venue, and date;
2. Registration fees for the conference;
3. The Guests of Honor;
4. The programs to be offered at the conference;
5. All contracts negotiated by the conference or its officers; and
6. Budgetary matters.

HOW DOES IT WORK?

All board members shall serve on the board for a two-year term, term to begin on or before October 1 of the odd-numbered years when the conference is held. Prospective members shall be North American members in good standing of the Historical Novel Society, an international literary organization.

The Board is currently made up of eight members: Conference Chair, Programming Chair, Secretary/Communications Chair, Venue Chair, Marketing Chair, Registration Chair, Technology Chair, and Treasurer/Finance Chair. The Board receives no compensation other than reasonable expenses. This includes travel and expenses related to the annual planning meeting and the conference itself. The Board is expected to work during the conference to ensure that two years of planning are brought to fruition as smoothly as possible, though Board members will still have opportunities to enjoy the conference as attendees.

The Board is required to hold an in-person meeting once a year, though the board may vote to conduct this meeting virtually if necessary. The board typically meets at the chosen conference venue for planning purposes one year ahead of the conference and holds several meetings on-site during the conference. Throughout the two-year term, the board typically meets via Zoom once per month until the final months leading up to the conference, when we meet twice monthly. Other meetings may be required as necessary.

Each board member has first right of refusal for the position he/she holds, subject to a majority vote by the rest of the board. Each board member is eligible for re-election in the same position for up to three consecutive terms. After this, he/she should retire from the position and the board. He/she is then eligible to apply for a new position.

WHO DO WE NEED?

HNSNA needs to fill the newly created board position of Technology Chair for the 2023 conference term. Read on for more information!

Duties of the Technology Chair:

The Technology Chair shall have primary responsibility for:

1. coordinating technical demands of putting on a virtual/hybrid conference, e.g., arranging filming/livestreaming of sessions, managing data entry into the event app, and coordinating scheduling with the Program Chair;
2. working with the Conference Chair on designing the virtual component of the conference’s visual layout and functionality; 
3. working with the Registration Chair on registration for the virtual component of the conference; 
4. working with the Marketing Chair on creating and implementing sources of advertising revenue in the virtual conference space; 
5. working with the Venue Chair on on-site arrangements; and
6. fielding presenters’ and attendees’ questions about technical aspects of the virtual conference.

The Technology Chair may work on these duties directly, or he/she may recruit and meet with skilled individuals who handle such duties. The Technology Chair may also select other assistants as needed.

Any of these roles may be modified by the Board; the Board may also assign other duties to the Technology Chair.

Candidates for Technology Chair do not need to have specific experience in producing a virtual event, but they should be comfortable learning new technology, be proficient with Zoom, and have experience with Excel and data entry. Candidates should be able to multitask and meet deadlines with minimal supervision. Attendance at HNSNA’s first virtual conference in 2021 is strongly preferred, but an exception could be made for candidates who have attended multiple virtual conferences and can bring an informed perspective to future HNSNA virtual offerings. This is an exciting opportunity to help shape the future of our conference!

WHAT IS REQUIRED TO BE A BOARD MEMBER?

Board members are volunteers, so a passion for historical fiction and for the conference are extremely important, as is dedication to seeing a commitment through to completion. Board members must have excellent interpersonal, organizational, and time management skills and should feel comfortable taking initiative and working with minimal supervision. Board members must be comfortable with learning new technologies as the conference adapts to suit its attendees.

Board members must be team players; eight people don’t always see eye-to-eye on everything, but majority consensus rules, and each Board member must be willing to respect that and carry on accordingly. Board members must make every effort to be present for all meetings and to undertake their duties and responsibilities in a timely fashion. Board members may need to be prepared to take time off of work to attend the annual on-site meetings.

Board members need to be prepared to make a significant contribution of their time and energy in the six months leading up to the conference. Board members should be prepared to work during the conference, though they will have opportunities to enjoy the conference as attendees.

It’s important to note that Board members also get to have fun! In addition to our monthly meetings, we’ve had virtual happy hours, we’ve attended webinars together, we’ve spent time together outside of conference duties, we’ve had a lot of laughs, and we’ve become more like a family. Board members can also look forward to forging friendships and industry connections they will make in service to the conference. Board members enjoy a spirit of camaraderie and accomplishment in knowing that they helped create a phenomenal experience for conference attendees and take pride in organizing THE conference for historical fiction!

If you have any questions, please email Conference Chair Jenny Q: jennyq@historicaleditorial.com

To apply for the Technology Chair position, please fill out the following form: