2026 Board Nomination Form, Click here.

Join our TSRA Leadership Crew!! We are seeking 2026 TSRA Board Member Nominations. Do you love protecting Tennessee’s rivers? Do you enjoy getting out on the water and want to make a difference? TSRA is currently seeking new board members for the 2026 calendar year.

Interested? Read the commitment below and Fill out the Board Nomination form with your bio by: November 24, 2025.

TSRA Purpose and Mission. The purpose of TSRA is to ensure an adequate number of free flowing, clean and wild rivers, streams, wetlands, water bodies and watersheds for the use and benefit of all citizens, and to promote paddling skill and river safety through training and leadership. We believe these two purposes are inextricably bound together. By teaching schools, we earn money to support environmental protection. By welcoming more people into paddling recreation, we create new outdoor lovers who will help protect our natural environment. By protecting our streams, water bodies and watersheds, we ensure our long-lasting enjoyment of paddling.

Board Member Commitment. Each nominee should be willing to serve as a Board Member from January 1, 2026 through December 31, 2026. In addition, nominees must be in good standing with a fully paid membership at the time of the election.

All Board Members are required to attend the monthly Board Meeting held on the fourth Thursday of every month from 6pm-8pm. Board Meetings are held at the REI in Brentwood, Tennessee. Alternate Board Meeting locations in the Nashville/Brentwood area may be substituted as well as virtual attendance for anyone over an hour away from the meeting. Each board member participates in one or more committees and is integral to significant events that occur throughout the year. Board Members should possess the ability to offer critical review and should be adept at giving direct guidance and feedback to others. Directors should be able to work as a team player toward TSRA's common goals.

Board Member Elections. Voting will be held electronically for all members December 1-12th, 2025. Voting will close at 6pm on December 12th and we will announce the 2026 Board during our annual meeting/ holiday party December 13, 2025.

Committees or Chair Descriptions

• Finance, Fundraising and Grants- become educated on the inner workings of fundraisers, assist with auctions, development of donation letters, process for creating scholarship funds, placement of donations. Work with Community Shares, Lost Loon, Rendezvous.
• Marketing and Advertising- social media posts, create opportunities to blend with the paddling community, work with Social Committee to get word out for opportunities and events, stay abreast of opportunities with ACA, assist with ideas for newsletter, e-blasts.
• Safety, First Aid and ACA Training- guide and oversee all rescue clinics, be contact for *TN/ACA safety concerns and updates, campaign and promote safety community wide, create a pool of trained instructors and support boaters, organize follow up program for instructor training: Wilderness Safety, ACA certification, CPR and First Aid. This committee is a resource for the school committee.
• Social and Membership Promotion- Submit items/ideas to Marketing team, membership drive/incentive programs, youth outreach, meet and greets, member campsite meets, annual meeting, booth events, holiday party, volunteer appreciation event.
• Schools and Follow up Events- create and brainstorm money making schools and follow up events, create or help implement follow up events that coincide with schools, procure school chairs/lead instructors, assist chairs and leads, admin and safety for Intro to Kayaking, Intro to Rivers, Rescue for Rec Boaters, Kayak Fishing, C&K School, BRR, TSRA Swiftwater Rescue, Team River Runner, Hot Rolls.
• River Access- meetings, builds, news and events, grant writing, logistics, work crew, supplies, volunteers, paperwork
• Conservation- inform, supply info for newsletter, guest speakers, attend external meetings, educate members on all conservation groups.
• Newsletter editor - interview board members, event coordinator, etc. and write up articles for newsletter, format monthly e-newsletters and annual newsletter
• Volunteer Coordinator – Need team leaders to create volunteer database, send invites to functions and events, utilize website to create a “bulletin board” of events for volunteers to sign up, create event: clean ups, access builds, tree plantings, scout events, Jack Lyle River Kids, Historian