Applying to the USTA Board of Directors and Nominating Committee
The Nominating Committee of the United States Tennis Association (USTA) invites you to apply for the USTA Board of Directors and/or Nominating Committee. The term of service is two years and begins on Jan. 1, 2025. These are volunteer positions.
General Instructions for Candidates
The deadline to apply for the 2025-26 term is midnight EST on Feb. 1, 2024. Applications are now available online. Applications must be submitted electronically.
The USTA BoardThe USTA Board of Directors will have three 10-Year Elite Athletes, as required in the USTA Bylaws; however, additional Elite Athletes (10-Year and 10-Year Plus) may serve as Officers and Directors at Large.
The USTA Nominating Committee will have three Elite Athletes, which can be a mix of 10-Year Elite Athletes and 10-Year-Plus Elite Athletes, as denoted in the USTA Bylaws.
For purposes of the Application Process, all those who fall under the definition of 10-Year Elite Athlete and 10-Year-Plus Elite Athlete are asked to complete the Elite Athlete application.
Definition of Elite Athlete:
Elite Athletes are defined in the USTA Bylaw 26 as follows:
10-Year Elite Athlete. 10-Year Elite Athlete means a United States citizen or a United States legal resident who is at least 18 years old and meets any of these requirements:
i. within the last ten years has represented the United States as a member of the Olympic, Pan American, Paralympic, or Parapan American Games (each, a “Delegation Event”), Davis Cup, Billie Jean King Cup, or World Team Cup teams, or any other event designated as an elite-level event by the Corporation;
ii. within the last 24 months has reached the second round of an open draw of the United States Open Tennis Championships;
iii. within the last 24 months has participated in the US Open Wheelchair Championships;
iv. within the last ten years was ranked in the top 50 of the USTA Professional Singles, Doubles, or Mixed Rankings at the end of a calendar year; or
v. within the last ten years was ranked in the top ten of the ITF Men’s, Women’s, or Quads Wheelchair Singles or Doubles Rankings at the end of a calendar year.
10-Year-Plus Elite Athlete. 10-Year-Plus Elite Athlete means a United States citizen or a United States legal resident who is at least 18 years old and has, at any point, but not within the ten years prior to election/ selection/appointment, met the definition of 10-Year Elite Athlete.
All applications will be reviewed by the Nominating Committee. This is a competitive process. Typically, more than 100 applications are received. Following a review of applications, the Nominating Committee will extend interview invitations to a select group of candidates.
Applicants for the Nominating Committee and applicants who submit a dual application for the Board or the Nominating Committee who are selected to be interviewed will be notified by email by early March. Interviews of these candidates will be held at the USTA Semiannual Meeting (April 12-15, 2024 in Orlando, Fla.).
Applicants for the Board of Directors only who are selected to be interviewed will be notified by email by early May. Interviews of these candidates will be held at the USTA Annual Meeting that is held during the 2024 US Open.
Candidates who are slated by the Nominating Committee for either the Board of Directors or the Nominating Committee will be notified by phone by a member of the Nominating Committee as soon as feasible following the conclusion of the 2024 US Open.
Nominating Committee decisions are based on many factors. The Nominating Committee will be looking for members of the Board of Directors and members of the Nominating Committee who can shape the future of the USTA.
The Board of Directors selection process is designed to create a team that possesses the full complement of skills necessary to fulfill the mission, strategic priorities and goals of the USTA.
The responsibilities of the USTA Board of Directors include, but are not limited to, the following:
Shaping the future of the USTA with long-term strategic thinking.
Assessing the performance of the chief executive officer/executive director.
Creating a set of long-term financial goals.
Establishing explicit governing policies.
Serving as a link between USTA staff and volunteers.
The responsibilities of the Nominating Committee include, but are not limited to, the following:
Developing and creating the application and application process.
Listening to USTA leadership to learn the needs of the organization.
Assessing the Board of Directors performance against the strategic priorities.
Reviewing all candidate applications and selecting candidates to invite for interviews.
Interviewing candidates for the Board of Directors and the Nominating Committee.
Compiling and submitting the slate for the USTA Board of Directors and the succeeding Nominating Committee in compliance with USTA Bylaws.
Historically, successful candidates selected to the Board of Directors or Nominating Committee have possessed some, if not most, of the following skills and experience:
Previous nonprofit board experience.
Extensive business, professional, academic or tennis-related experience.
Significant background with their sectional organization in leadership positions.
Appointments to USTA committees or other national leadership roles.
Demonstrated success as a person who has actively grown the game of tennis.
The ability to both lead and contribute as a member of a team.
The time commitment to participate fully in the demands of this position.
A "big picture" view of the needs of the organization and the future of tennis.
Please note that this is not intended to be an exhaustive list. The Nominating Committee will weigh these and other factors in order to best match candidates' strengths with the particular needs of the USTA.
Serving as a USTA board member requires a significant time commitment. This is typically between 40-55 days per year, with officers investing even more time. The time required to serve on the Nominating Committee includes the length of the Annual Meeting and Semiannual Meeting each year, plus additional time between those meetings to attend to committee business and specific subcommittee assignments.
It should be noted that the second year of the Nominating Committee term requires a significantly greater amount of time (roughly 10 days during the 2026 US Open to thoroughly assess application submissions and conduct interviews. Nominating Committee responsibilities culminate with the notification of all candidates at the completion of the US Open.
Although the Nominating Committee does not accept letters of recommendation, it may potentially seek feedback from people familiar with an applicant's performance in the roles listed on the application.
If you have questions or need assistance, please contact Lawrence Washington, Nominating Committee Chair.
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