Volunteer: Join a Team!
The League Needs You...
Since 1920, individuals like you have shaped the issues impacting our communities and our democracy through their connection to the League. The League of Women Voters of Palo Alto is an all volunteer-run organization and our success depends on the enthusiastic participation of our members.
We are a grassroots organization
Volunteers make everything we do possible. It's our volunteers who organize our programs and forums, speakers, and manage our election activities and register voters.
Why Volunteer?
Come to an LWVPA Team Meeting and learn about important issues affecting you and your community! You can copy the meetings from our Google Calendar to yours.
To learn more about, or join, any of our CORE, ISSUES, or BOARD SUPPORT Teams, please contact the chair. Team meeting dates/times are shown on the calendar at our home page.
CORE TEAMS - Help us move the League mission forward by joining a group within one of our CORE TEAMS:
1. VOTER SERVICES (Voter information, education & registration)
Jean Lythcott and Kathy Miller, co-chairs
2. ISSUES (Action on key public policy issues & League positions)
Lisa Ratner, chair
3. BOARD SUPPORT (Critical operational/management support to ensure our work is carried out in meaningful and strategic ways)
Terry Godfrey, board president
1. VOTER SERVICES (Voter information, education & registration)
Learn more about all five areas of our Voters Services (VS) work here. They are:
YOUTH VOTE
DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION (DEI)
EDUCATION RESOURCES
VOTER REGISTRAR LIAISON
BEYOND PALO ALTO
Contact one of our Voter Services co-chairs to discuss the area(s) that most interest you.
2. ISSUES (Advocacy and action on critical public-policy issues & League positions)
Learn about and involve yourself in one of our ISSUES Teams focused on issues that matter to you:
HOUSING & TRANSPORTATION - Steve Levy, chair
NATURAL RESOURCES/CLIMATE - Maureen O'Kicki, chair
RESPONSIBLE GUN OWNERSHIP - Hilary Glann & Katie Causey, co-chairs. See more in Additional Team Information below.
Email: lwvpa-responsible-gun-ownership-team@googlegroups.com
IMMIGRATION - Lisa Ratner, chair
Contact our Advocacy chair to discuss the area(s) that most interest you.
3. BOARD SUPPORT (Critical operational and management support to ensure our work is carried out in meaningful, strategic ways.)
Our Board Support Teams (described below) are:
BUDGET COMMITTEE - Bonnie Packer, chair
COLLABORATIONS AND OUTREACH - Karen Kalinsky, chair
COMMUNICATIONS
FUNDRAISING
MEMBERSHIP - Lynne Russell, chair
NOMINATING COMMITTEE - Louise Valente, chair
Contact us to learn more about or join one of our Board teams!
PROGRAMMING/EVENTS (Educational forums to amplify priority issues/positions)
NEW VOICES FOR YOUTH (discover and train youth leaders from underrepresented communities in video documentation)
Veronica Tincher, chair
Additional Team Information
COLLABORATIONS AND COMMUNITY OUTREACH TEAM (CoCO)
Meets a few times a year, usually on a weekday evening.
In order to increase our League’s effectiveness, we identify other organizations who share our values in general and our goals on individual issues, and then work with those allies in a variety of ways. For example, we connect with them:
• for possible co-sponsorship of events or publicity on an issue-by-issue basis;
• for possible collaboration on our mutual advocacy and voter education goals and programs;
• for possible membership in coalitions or organizations that advance our common advocacy objectives;
• for possible sharing of resources such as publicity or event space.
In the past few years we have partnered with such organizations as the AAUW Palo Alto, Mid-Peninsula Chapter of the ACLU, Acterra, Avenidas, Congregation Beth Am's Equal Start and Tzedek Councils, Palo Alto Forward, and of course, other Santa Clara County and San Mateo County Leagues.
If you are interested in joining our team, please contact the chair, Karen Kalinsky.
COMMUNICATIONS
Join our Communications Team! We produce the VOTER newsletter and e-blasts to members, maintain an active Facebook page, publicize upcoming events, and present up-to-date information for members and the public on our website, and more. We need people who love to write publicity pieces, publish online and contribute to our website.
If you are interested in creating content and helping to promote our awesome League, please contact the League!
HOUSING & TRANSPORTATION TEAM
Meets 1:30 to 2:30 pm on the third Monday of each month
The Housing and Transportation committee meets to discuss and, when appropriate, take positions (consistent with state and national positions) on housing and transportation issues in Palo Alto. The committee often prepares letters and speaks before the the city council and planning commission to reflect local LWV positions. The committee has guest speakers to brief us on local housing and transportation issues.
For location and further details, please contact Steve Levy.
NEW VOICES FOR YOUTH (NV4Y)
New Voices for Youth, a youth outreach program of LWV Palo Alto and South San Mateo County, is based in the EPA Boys & Girls Club and the Siena Youth Center. We serve middle school youth in East Menlo Park, East Palo Alto and North Fair Oaks, Redwood City. League members created New Voices for Youth (NV4Y) fourteen years ago, as, an after-school program that discovers and trains youth leaders from underrepresented communities in the techniques of video documentation. NV seeks support for its functions from organization and government grants and individual donations. The Palo Alto League makes an annual contribution.
NV4Y is run by a steering committee of volunteers from the co-sponsoring Leagues. In NV classes, youth work with experienced directors who provide expertise in video arts and youth organizing. Young people explore issues that can be communicated visually and that encourage civic engagement. In Fall 2018 New Voices sponsored is first screening party presenting a video describing New Voices. The event was held at the Midpeninsula Media Center and proved a wonderful celebration of student work. Watch a sample of the videos, produced by New Voices: New Voices Video Gallery. If you would like to help young leaders communicate through video, please contact Veronica Tincher.
NOMINATING COMMITTEE
Who will be the next generation of League leaders? The Nominating Committee is always on the look-out to bring talented, diverse, and dedicated members to the League’s board of directors. This committee communicates during the first few months of the calendar year and makes recommendations for a slate of board nominees to be voted on at the Annual Meeting in the spring.
To reach the Nominating Chair, contact Louise Valente.
RESPONSIBLE GUN OWNERSHIP TEAM
Meets 7:00 to 8:30 pm on the second Wednesday of each month
This team follows the League of Women Voters of the US position on gun safety: 'Protect the health and safety of citizens through limiting the accessibility and regulating the ownership of handguns and semi-automatic weapons. Support regulation of firearms for consumer safety'.
For location and further details, please contact Co-Chairs Katie Causey or Hilary Glann.
Since 1920, individuals like you have shaped the issues impacting our communities and our democracy through their connection to the League. The League of Women Voters of Palo Alto is an all volunteer-run organization and our success depends on the enthusiastic participation of our members.
We are a grassroots organization
Volunteers make everything we do possible. It's our volunteers who organize our programs and forums, speakers, and manage our election activities and register voters.
Why Volunteer?
- Gain experience in leadership and collaboration
- Hone your skills or learn new ones
- Learn about critical advocacy and voter education activities
- Get a behind-the-scenes view of League operations and decision making
- Meet other fascinating League members
- Get involved in our work--to engage with elected officials, empower new voters and learn about issues that impact your community.
Come to an LWVPA Team Meeting and learn about important issues affecting you and your community! You can copy the meetings from our Google Calendar to yours.
To learn more about, or join, any of our CORE, ISSUES, or BOARD SUPPORT Teams, please contact the chair. Team meeting dates/times are shown on the calendar at our home page.
CORE TEAMS - Help us move the League mission forward by joining a group within one of our CORE TEAMS:
1. VOTER SERVICES (Voter information, education & registration)
Jean Lythcott and Kathy Miller, co-chairs
2. ISSUES (Action on key public policy issues & League positions)
Lisa Ratner, chair
3. BOARD SUPPORT (Critical operational/management support to ensure our work is carried out in meaningful and strategic ways)
Terry Godfrey, board president
1. VOTER SERVICES (Voter information, education & registration)
Learn more about all five areas of our Voters Services (VS) work here. They are:
YOUTH VOTE
DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION (DEI)
EDUCATION RESOURCES
VOTER REGISTRAR LIAISON
BEYOND PALO ALTO
Contact one of our Voter Services co-chairs to discuss the area(s) that most interest you.
2. ISSUES (Advocacy and action on critical public-policy issues & League positions)
Learn about and involve yourself in one of our ISSUES Teams focused on issues that matter to you:
HOUSING & TRANSPORTATION - Steve Levy, chair
NATURAL RESOURCES/CLIMATE - Maureen O'Kicki, chair
RESPONSIBLE GUN OWNERSHIP - Hilary Glann & Katie Causey, co-chairs. See more in Additional Team Information below.
Email: lwvpa-responsible-gun-ownership-team@googlegroups.com
IMMIGRATION - Lisa Ratner, chair
Contact our Advocacy chair to discuss the area(s) that most interest you.
3. BOARD SUPPORT (Critical operational and management support to ensure our work is carried out in meaningful, strategic ways.)
Our Board Support Teams (described below) are:
BUDGET COMMITTEE - Bonnie Packer, chair
COLLABORATIONS AND OUTREACH - Karen Kalinsky, chair
COMMUNICATIONS
FUNDRAISING
MEMBERSHIP - Lynne Russell, chair
NOMINATING COMMITTEE - Louise Valente, chair
Contact us to learn more about or join one of our Board teams!
PROGRAMMING/EVENTS (Educational forums to amplify priority issues/positions)
NEW VOICES FOR YOUTH (discover and train youth leaders from underrepresented communities in video documentation)
Veronica Tincher, chair
Additional Team Information
COLLABORATIONS AND COMMUNITY OUTREACH TEAM (CoCO)
Meets a few times a year, usually on a weekday evening.
In order to increase our League’s effectiveness, we identify other organizations who share our values in general and our goals on individual issues, and then work with those allies in a variety of ways. For example, we connect with them:
• for possible co-sponsorship of events or publicity on an issue-by-issue basis;
• for possible collaboration on our mutual advocacy and voter education goals and programs;
• for possible membership in coalitions or organizations that advance our common advocacy objectives;
• for possible sharing of resources such as publicity or event space.
In the past few years we have partnered with such organizations as the AAUW Palo Alto, Mid-Peninsula Chapter of the ACLU, Acterra, Avenidas, Congregation Beth Am's Equal Start and Tzedek Councils, Palo Alto Forward, and of course, other Santa Clara County and San Mateo County Leagues.
If you are interested in joining our team, please contact the chair, Karen Kalinsky.
COMMUNICATIONS
Join our Communications Team! We produce the VOTER newsletter and e-blasts to members, maintain an active Facebook page, publicize upcoming events, and present up-to-date information for members and the public on our website, and more. We need people who love to write publicity pieces, publish online and contribute to our website.
If you are interested in creating content and helping to promote our awesome League, please contact the League!
HOUSING & TRANSPORTATION TEAM
Meets 1:30 to 2:30 pm on the third Monday of each month
The Housing and Transportation committee meets to discuss and, when appropriate, take positions (consistent with state and national positions) on housing and transportation issues in Palo Alto. The committee often prepares letters and speaks before the the city council and planning commission to reflect local LWV positions. The committee has guest speakers to brief us on local housing and transportation issues.
For location and further details, please contact Steve Levy.
NEW VOICES FOR YOUTH (NV4Y)
New Voices for Youth, a youth outreach program of LWV Palo Alto and South San Mateo County, is based in the EPA Boys & Girls Club and the Siena Youth Center. We serve middle school youth in East Menlo Park, East Palo Alto and North Fair Oaks, Redwood City. League members created New Voices for Youth (NV4Y) fourteen years ago, as, an after-school program that discovers and trains youth leaders from underrepresented communities in the techniques of video documentation. NV seeks support for its functions from organization and government grants and individual donations. The Palo Alto League makes an annual contribution.
NV4Y is run by a steering committee of volunteers from the co-sponsoring Leagues. In NV classes, youth work with experienced directors who provide expertise in video arts and youth organizing. Young people explore issues that can be communicated visually and that encourage civic engagement. In Fall 2018 New Voices sponsored is first screening party presenting a video describing New Voices. The event was held at the Midpeninsula Media Center and proved a wonderful celebration of student work. Watch a sample of the videos, produced by New Voices: New Voices Video Gallery. If you would like to help young leaders communicate through video, please contact Veronica Tincher.
NOMINATING COMMITTEE
Who will be the next generation of League leaders? The Nominating Committee is always on the look-out to bring talented, diverse, and dedicated members to the League’s board of directors. This committee communicates during the first few months of the calendar year and makes recommendations for a slate of board nominees to be voted on at the Annual Meeting in the spring.
To reach the Nominating Chair, contact Louise Valente.
RESPONSIBLE GUN OWNERSHIP TEAM
Meets 7:00 to 8:30 pm on the second Wednesday of each month
This team follows the League of Women Voters of the US position on gun safety: 'Protect the health and safety of citizens through limiting the accessibility and regulating the ownership of handguns and semi-automatic weapons. Support regulation of firearms for consumer safety'.
For location and further details, please contact Co-Chairs Katie Causey or Hilary Glann.
