Chapter leadership is an opportunity to step forward and make a meaningful impact on your EO chapter. Each role listed below contributes to the chapter board, where chapter chairs work together to lead the chapter through the year. Through co-creation, collaboration and shared ownership, the board sets priorities, makes decisions, and supports the chapter’s success. The work of chapter chairs directly influences the member experience, chapter culture, and long-term sustainability. By strengthening engagement, supporting operational excellence, and developing future leaders, chapter leadership helps ensure the chapter continues to thrive year after year. Serving in chapter leadership is an opportunity to lead alongside peers, contribute at a strategic level, and leave the chapter stronger than you found it.
Each chapter chair role exists to support a core part of the chapter’s success. Together, these roles ensure the chapter operates effectively and continues to deliver value to its members. The roles outlined below are the core chapter chair roles, with dedicated EO training and resources to support each one. Chapters may also have additional roles or variations based on their size and needs. For each role, you will find an overview of the responsibilities, the resources available to support the role, and an estimate of the time commitment. This information is intended to provide clarity on what each role involves and help members understand how they can contribute through chapter leadership.
The Accelerator Chair leads the chapter’s EO Accelerator (EOA) program, supporting early-stage entrepreneurs with annual revenues between $250,000 and $1M USD. This role is responsible for delivering a high-quality Accelerator experience through strong learning, accountability, and community, while managing the program calendar and connecting participants to EO resources. The Accelerator Chair serves as a key gateway to EO membership and leadership.
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The Finance Chair manages the chapter’s money. This includes developing the chapter budget, creating and maintaining monthly financials and other financial reporting, filing taxes and ensuring bills are paid and funds are available for planned activities.
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The Forum Chair stewards the health and success of forums across the chapter. This includes Forum placement, Moderator support & engagement, coordination of Forum training, and monitoring overall Forum health. Because Forum is EO’s core experience, the Forum Chair plays a critical role in member engagement and retention.
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The Governance Chair recognizes the significance of governance for EO’s success and integrity. The Governance Chair handles conduct, compliance, and bylaws. This role manages sensitive issues, supports fair processes, and works with EO governance structures when problems arise. It exists to protect trust and safety in the chapter.
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The GSEA Chair runs the chapter’s Global Student Entrepreneur Awards competition. This includes student recruitment, event planning, judges, and follow-through with winners. It connects EO to universities and the broader startup ecosystem.
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The Learning Chair plans and delivers chapter learning events. This role curates unique and varying speakers, understands the topics members want or need, manages venues, budgets, and calendars. They work closely with the Marketing & Communications Chair to promote and post learning events.
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The Marketing and Communications Chair manages how the chapter communicates internally and externally. Internal communication ensures members know what is happening through emails, event promotion, social channels, and brand alignment. The role also supports external communication with prospective members, prospective partners and the entire community to understand who EO is.
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The Member Engagement Chair helps ensure members stay connected and involved in the chapter over time. This role keeps an eye on participation, notices when members begin to drift and guides them towards opportunities to reconnect and find value in EO. It sits at the intersection of people and experiences, making sure members feel invited to participate and know where to engage.
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The Membership Chair runs recruitment and intake of new members into the chapter. This role manages the prospect pipeline & journey, guides applications, interviews, and onboarding flow. They also manage the recruitment event planning process. Who joins the chapter and how they enter shapes culture more than almost anything else.
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The MyEO Chair helps members access EO communities and experiences beyond the local chapter. This role promotes MyEO groups, supports participation, and helps members customize their EO experience.
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The Chapter President leads the board and sets direction for the year. This role drives leadership and holds the board accountable, manages chapter priorities, represents the chapter, and ensures the chapter delivers value to members.
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The Strategic Alliances Chair manages the recruitment, engagement, and renewal of chapter sponsors and partners. This role secures financial or in-kind support and maintains relationships that help fund events and chapter initiatives.
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EO equips chapter leaders with guidance, resources, and connections needed to lead their roles effectively.
Officer training prepares incoming leaders to understand their responsibilities, tools, and common challenges before their term begins. Throughout the year, additional resources and peer connections help officers navigate situations as they arise.
Each chair role is also supported by a corresponding regional Expert. These experienced EO leaders provide guidance, share best practices, and help officers strengthen the programs and initiatives within their portfolio.
Together, training, peer collaboration, and expert support help chapter leaders deliver a strong experience for their members.
Discover Regional Leadership Roles
Strategy Summits are EO member-facilitated planning sessions available for chapters to help build three-year and annual plans, which help align, build accountability, and create space to focus on where the chapter is headed and how it will get there.
Each EO planning product provide a structured day where chapter priorities are identified, metrics are curated and a shared plan takes shape.
Each Strategy Summit is guided by an EO facilitator who has experience leading at the chapter level.
Learn About Strategy SummitsThe EO Global Board consists of:
Used most often at the start of the leadership year, Annual Strategy Summits help boards set direction and agree on what success should look like for the months ahead. They give incoming leaders a common starting point and reduce confusion once execution begins.
Mid-Year Strategy Summits create a pause point during the year. They are used to assess what is working, what is not, and where attention needs to shift so the chapter can finish the year with intention rather than urgency.
Long-Term Planning Summits extend the conversation beyond a single leadership year. These sessions help chapter leaders define a multi-year vision that can carry forward through leadership transitions and support continuity over time.
New Chapter Summits are designed for chapters early in their lifecycle. They focus on orienting new boards to their roles and helping leadership teams establish an initial planning rhythm within EO.
Leadership roles are filled at the chapter level, and processes vary by chapter. Members interested in stepping into leadership should begin a conversation with their chapter president.
