Alzheimer's Co-Ambassador, San Fernando Valley

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Alzheimer’s Ambassador Roles and Responsibilities

Revised: April 2018

The overall role of Alzheimer’s Association Ambassadors is two-fold: to serve as a Team Leader for their Alzheimer’s Congressional Team (ACT) and to represent the Alzheimer’s Association to their Member of Congress by developing and maintaining a positive relationship and regular communication with the Member’s local office(s). In some cases, it may be possible to split these roles between two people who can serve as Team co-leaders, but we strongly prefer Ambassadors who can handle both roles. The ideal Ambassador will have both excellent interpersonal skills and excellent communication skills!

Ambassadors commit to serve for a one-year term, renewable at the Association’s discretion.

Over the course of this annual term, Ambassadors agree to carry out the following core responsibilities:

• Lead their Alzheimer’s Congressional Team (ACT). We are working toward the goal of having an Ambassador and at least 2 additional people on each ACT. We are also working to make our ACTs more diverse and inclusive. As a Team Leader, an Ambassador is responsible for welcoming and helping to orient new Team members; communicating with their Team members in a friendly, professional fashion; sharing information from the monthly National Ambassador calls and Congressional meetings with Team members; and including Team members in strategy-setting, advocacy activities and, where practical, decision-making.

• Represent the Chapter by establishing and maintaining regular communication with the Member’s local office(s) . Ambassadors should look for opportunities to communicate regularly by phone or email with their staff contact between quarterly meetings; once every 1-2 months is ideal. Look for opportunities to provide your staff contact with information they can use by sharing new Alzheimer’s Association materials or other relevant information, such as a news article or op-ed from the local paper, or information about Association services offered in the district.

• Plan, schedule and participate in quarterly District Meetings. Ambassadors must plan, schedule and participate in at least four quarterly in-district meetings with their Congressional office over the course of the year, for a total of at least five meetings with the congressional office each year (four in district and one in Washington, DC).

• Invite your member of Congress or your staff contact to Alzheimer’s Association events. These could include: education conferences, Walk to End Alzheimer’s, Walk kickoff events, support groups, and community classes. If the member or staff member will speak, your Association policy staff contact can provide talking points.
  
  
• Participate in a Monthly Ambassador Call . Ambassadors are expected to participate in a monthly 1-hour conference call with Alzheimer’s Impact Movement staff in our Washington, D.C. office. Calls are on the 2nd Wednesday of the month at 4pm PST and provide updates on our policy priorities, guidance on what you should be working on that month, and an opportunity to ask questions.
  
  
• Attend National Advocacy Forum . Ambassadors should plan to attend the AIM/Alzheimer’s Association Advocacy Forum held each year in Washington, DC. Limited financial assistance is available to help defray travel costs.

• Communicate regularly with team members and Alzheimer’s Association Policy Staff . Ambassadors are required to coordinate their activities with Chapter policy staff, and lead their Alzheimer’s Congressional Team (ACT), through regular communication and coordination with Chapter policy staff and team members. This includes participating in an annual, 1-hour team planning meeting or call.

• Report all your interactions with your assigned Congressional office via the Alzheimer’s Impact Movement report portal: www.alzimpact.org/action .
  
  

Ambassadors are also encouraged, but not required, to participate in the following:

• Become an Alzheimer’s Impact Movement (AIM) member. AIM is the Alzheimer’s Association’s advocacy arm: a sister organization that funds the Association’s advocacy work and enables us to reach candidates and seated legislators on a deeper level. Recent victories in research funding would not have been possible without AIM working in tandem with Alzheimer’s Advocates, and the $20 annual membership fee funds this critical work. To join, visit: www.alzimpact.org/join .

• Annual Advocacy Retreat . Ambassadors are encouraged to attend our Chapter’s annual day-long Policy Retreat in their state. The Policy Retreat provides an opportunity to do a "deep dive" on state and national policy with state and national staff, and to work with peers on building your skills to improve your effectiveness as an Ambassador.
  
  
• State Advocacy Opportunities. Ambassadors are encouraged to participate in state-level policy activities, including our annual State Advocacy Day at the State Capitol and district office meetings with their State Senator or Assemblymember.
  
  

Alignment:

Alzheimer’s Association Ambassadors are responsible for ensuring that all communications with their assigned Congressional office and all other elected officials are fully in alignment with AIM and Alzheimer’s Association policy priorities and strategies, and are conducted according to the highest ethical standards. Similarly, because of their formal designation by and role on behalf of AIM and the Alzheimer’s Association, Ambassadors agree to work exclusively with and through AIM and the Alzheimer’s Association on Alzheimer’s policy so long as they elect to serve in this voluntary role.

Ambassadors report that they typically devote 5-10 hours per month to meet all of the above responsibilities.