An executive committee will oversee the operations of the Friends.  The membership of the executive committee will consist of a Chair, Secretary/Treasurer and six other full voting members. 

All Executive Committee members will serve for a two year term and shall be eligible for re-election. The Chair of Friends can set the initial or final term of up to 4 Executive Committee members to a length of one year so as to stagger the terms, as needed with the majority approval of the members.  During their term, each member will be assigned to oversee a specific aspect of the Friends operations, like the website, member recruitment, etc.  The Chair, Vice Chair, Secretary/Treasurer and six Executive Committee members of the Friends shall be elected by the membership at the annual meeting or a special meeting of the Friends.  All Executive Committee members shall be elected from member organizations. 

The business and property of the Friends will be managed by the Executive Committee.  The executive committee will have the authority to establish committees, develop materials to promote the Friends, including a website, and establish an annual dues structure to carry out its work.  The Executive Committee will meet monthly by phone or in person to conduct the business of the Friends.

The Executive Committee has the authority to retain an outside firm and to assign to it any responsibilities designated to the committee herein, would be responsible for executing all the programs and policies established by the committee and have the authority to speak on behalf of the Friends. The firm will also be responsible for the administrative functioning of the Friends.

The entire membership of the Friends will convene at least once annually in-person to conduct the business of the coalition and meet with the NIAAA Director.  Member organizations have the right to advise the Executive Committee on issues to be considers and will be entitled to periodic updates on the activities of the Friends, NIAAA and other stakeholders. Membership of the Friends of NIAAA and the proposed corporate advisory board will be composed of organizations interested in and concerned about research and issues related to alcohol who contribute annual minimal dues and donations to support the work of Friends of NIAAA.

Executive Committee

William Wieczorek, Chairman, Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation

Bob Huebner, Co-Chair Research Society on Alcohol

Chris Melfi, Treasurer, FASD United

Juliane Baron, Federation of Associations in Behavioral and Brain Sciences

Denise Bertin-Epp, National Association for Children of Addiction

Joel Grube, Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation

Robert Morrison, National Association of State Alcohol and Drug Abuse Directors

Sara Jo Nixon, University of Florida Center for Addiction Research & Education

Boris Tabakoff, National Foundation for Prevention of Chemical Dependency Disease

Debby Taylor, National Capital Treatment & Recovery