source/pmc/new-member.md

---
title: New PMC Members
tags: ["pmc","election"]
---

Congratulations on your invitation to join a project PMC! Here's what
you should do next.

Joining an ASF Project Management Committee represents more than
recognition of your contributions. You take on a new level of responsibility
for the project's health and sustainability. The Board of Directors
relies on you to provide oversight of the project code and community.

## Join the conversation

Subscribe to the PMC/Private mailing list if you haven't already. This
list handles confidential PMC business and serves as the Board's
communication channel with the PMC.

To subscribe to the private list, send a blank email to
private-subscribe@**PROJECT**.apache.org (replace **PROJECT** with
your project name). Alternatively, visit the private list on
[lists.apache.org](https://lists.apache.org) (login required) and
click the blue "Subscribe to list" button in the left column.

See also [these tips for using the private mailing
list](https://community.apache.org/pmc/responsibilities.html#conducting-business)

Join the developer and user mailing lists if you're not already
subscribed. These lists handle the project's day-to-day business and
provide opportunities to interact with users, which will help you
understand their needs and challenges.

Introduce yourself on the dev list if you're not well known there.
Include information such as your location (and time zone), which parts
of the project you work on most, and your preferred communication channels.

This helps developers know when you're available, how to contact you,
and which topics you can best assist with.


## Read the documentation

Familiarize yourself with policies and procedures for PMC conduct. You
must [read, understand, and follow these
policies](https://www.apache.org/dev/pmc.html#policy).

Review the [overview of PMC
responsibilities](https://community.apache.org/pmc/responsibilities.html)
to understand best practices for governing your project. Two other key
documents cover [maintaining project
independence](https://apache.org/foundation/policies/conduct) and
[protecting your project's
trademarks](https://apache.org/foundation/marks/responsibility).

## Ask questions

As you adjust to your new PMC role, ask plenty of questions. Don't
hesitate to question existing practices. Ask why things are done
certain ways, especially when you see improvement opportunities. Your
[beginner's mind](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shoshin) can provide
insights that experienced members might overlook.