Start now to become a future President of MDS 

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When I was appointed president of the MDS in 2019 in Nice, many people congratulated and one young member commented: “You are so lucky to become MDS president! How did you get there, just apply?” 

My response was long ... but I am not sure if I was understood correctly. Therefore, this time, as the chair of the nominating committee, I want to make this process as transparent as possible, as there is no secret to getting involved as a leader in MDS. You all can start now or every two years, if you are a MDS member: 
 

Your Nominating Committee 

The MDS President appoints the Nominating Committee to reflect the global scope and rich diversity of our Society. This year's Committee brings together a thoughtful mix of longstanding voices, fresh perspectives, and regional representation — members who deeply understand MDS's work, mission, and people. The chair usually represents one of the Past-Presidents of the Society.  

The 2025–2027 Nominating Committee members are: 

• Ece Bayram, USA 
• Francisco Cardoso, Brazil 
• Jonathan Carr, South Africa 
• Victor Fung, Australia 
• Oluwadamilola Ojo, Nigeria 
• Pramod Pal, India 
• Cecilia Peralta, Argentina 
• Raymond Rosales, Philippines 
• Anette Schrag, UK 
• A. Jon Stoessl, Canada 
• Pille Taba, Estonia 

Under the MDS Bylaws, the Nominating Committee is charged with preparing a slate of Officers and International Executive Committee (IEC) members every two years. It's a responsibility the Committee approaches with great care, working to identify leaders who can truly advance our mission. Once the slate is finalized, members will have the chance to review the nominees and cast their votes — either by proxy ballot or in person at the business meeting during the International Congress. The next election will take place at the International Congress in Amsterdam on Monday, September 27, 2027. 
 

How Is the Slate Selected? 

The first step is announcing the nominations are open starting in July 2026 via email, the website, this article, and other channels. We are reaching out to you and inviting your applications through September 4, 2026.
 

How You Can Get Involved 

Do you know a colleague whose vision, experience, and dedication would match our criteria and benefit our Society? Or are you ready to step forward yourself? We want to hear from you. 

In July 2026, the official call for nominations will be emailed to all members and posted on the MDS website's Get Involved page. You can:

• Nominate yourself by completing an application
• Nominate a colleague by submitting their name and email. Our staff will reach out and invite them to apply.

The nomination committee only decides on nominations for President, Officer, and IEC positions, which will be accepted through September 4, 2026. Submit a name. 

You can apply to serve in other roles throughout the year. Study Groups and Special Interest Groups (SIG) are open to join any time, and other positions in new groups or on Task Forces will be posted on the Get Involved webpage as they become available. In addition, a formal call to serve on MDS Committees will go out in Spring 2027. 

Regional leadership positions such as Chair, Officer or Executive Board Member of the 4 sections will be nominated by a regional Nominating Committee and follow, in general, the same rules as the central nomination committee. The call for regional leadership positions will go out in August 2026. 
 

What We're Looking For 

The criteria for MDS leadership have been thoughtfully refined over many years. In general, strong candidates bring:

A long and varied history of volunteer service within MDS (more senior roles, like President, typically require previous service as an MDS Officer) The ability to work collaboratively and harmonize with existing Officers A strong scientific and/or clinical reputation An organized working style and responsiveness to requests The presence and judgment to represent MDS on a global stage

To build a balanced slate, the Committee also considers representation across disciplines (neurology, neurosurgery, basic sciences) as well as gender and geographic diversity. 

View the full list of criteria.  
 

The Path Forward 

Once all nominations are received, the Committee carefully evaluates each candidate against these criteria, with the goal of presenting a slate that is diverse, collaborative, and ready to advance MDS goals on behalf of our entire membership. 

It is often really difficult to find a geographical and gender balance for one or more positions, considering the most appropriate and qualified person. It is not a “best-friend” nomination; you need to be a “best friend with MDS work!”  

Your participation matters at every step: Submitting names, reviewing the slate, and casting your vote. Together, we'll choose the leaders who will carry MDS into its next chapter. Here is how you can get involved:

For beginners: If you choose to actively work in MDS, first consider your specialty: How can you best serve MDS? Join a Study Group or a Special Interest Group, like the Young Members Group or the Women in MDS Special Interest Group (SIG). Help out at the regional level with a course, present a video case, or support the regional education committee — they always need help. Start regionally and in your area of expertise! For those who have already served in positions, nominate yourself as a member of your regional section. You can advance to a leadership position in the next election. Write about your vision, ideas, and work capacity for MDS in your application. If you have already served in regional positions and want to start a central leadership position, it is best to apply to become an IEC member first. We usually receive many applications for these positions, which need to be balanced geographically. Describe why you should be nominated, including your experience with MDS, talents, and representation. For Officer and President nominations: Over the years, the society has grown so much that the financial and logistical aspects of the congress and the governmental body, the secretariat, have become extremely complex. Everyone needs years of on-the-job training among the IEC or among the Officers. This is not written in the bylaws, but it has proven to be a wise recommendation for practical reasons. There will be several online and even in-person discussions among the members of the Nominating Committee, then finally some interview the candidates to really select the best.

The members of the Nominating Committee are obliged to keep all information strictly confidential, they will and should not respond to your questions during the process and will not provide recommendation letters for one or more candidate, since they ultimately have to select the nominated candidates.  

If you have further questions about the application process, feel free to ask the secretariat or Jennie Socha or myself. Watch out for your regional Nominating Committee and its call for applications in August.   

Let’s build a transparent and democratic future of MDS together, to make this Society even stronger and more powerful to follow our mission in the field of Movement Disorders!
 

Learn more about MDS leadership elections:

Election details