Board of Directors
Executive Committee
President
Finance Committee
Search Committee
Education Council Governing Body
Certification Council Governing Body
Conference Committee
Lamaze Institute for Normal Birth Committee
Membership Committee
Chapter Formation and Development Committee
Lamaze Publishing Editorial Advisory Board
The Journal of Perinatal Education Editorial Board
Executive Director and Staff

Board of Directors
Makes Decisions/Approves

• Strategic plan and vision statement
• Annual budget
• Executive director/management
• Board policies
• Date and location of Lamaze International Annual Conferences
• Membership categories and dues
• New or retiring programs or services, including fundraising initiatives and activities
• Trademark and licensing activities
• General Counsel
• Auditor
• Investment manager
• Transfers from operating to investment fund, and from short-term to long-term investment fund
• Definition of relationship with strategic alliances and endorsements
• Committee/task force establishment
• Appoints Emeritus Director(s)

Makes Recommendations

• Bylaws (Membership)
• Mission and philosophy of birth (Membership)

Provides Input

• Policies related to Education and Certification Councils

Monitors

• Financial performance and trends
• Status of strategic plan
• Member, industry needs
• Lamaze programs and services
• Association industry trends
• Maternal/child health and perinatal education industry trends
• Relationships with regional, states and local maternal/child health associations
• Performance of all contracted services (i.e. management, legal)
• Performance of Board members
• Performance of Executive Director
• Performance of General Counsel

Executive Committee
Makes Decisions
The Bylaws of Lamaze International authorizes the Executive Committee to act on behalf of the Board of Directors when the Board of Directors is not in session. The Executive Committee usually is restricted in its scope to act only to the extent that it knows how the Board of Directors would act on any given topic. If the Executive Committee does not know how the Board would act or if it is unsure, then the matter under consideration would be deferred to the Board of Directors. In unusual cases, usually due to the time constraints, the Executive Committee may act on a matter when the Board’s position is not clear.

• Annual awards selection with input on nominations from the Membership, Board and Conference Committee.

Makes Recommendations

• Annual Plan of Work (Board of Directors)
• Management company and General Counsel contracts (Board of Directors)

Provides Input

• Counsel to Executive Director on management of Association
• Alliances with other organizations

Monitors

• Board of Director’s positions on issues
• Execution of Annual Plan of Work
• Execution of Strategic Plan
• Performance of Executive Director
• Performance of General Counsel

President
Makes Decisions

• Appoints committee chairs in collaboration with the Executive Committee and the Executive Director
• Acts as a spokesperson for the organization consistent with established positions and policies of the organization
• Other decisions as authorized by the board with input from the Executive Director

Makes Recommendations

• Annual plan of work (Board of Directors)
• Management company and General Counsel contracts (Board of Directors)

Provides Input

• Counsel to Executive Director
• Alliances with other organizations

Monitors

• Board of Directors positions on issues
• Execution of Annual Plan of Work
• Execution of Strategic Plan
• Committees and task forces work in line with the strategic plan
• Performance of Executive Director
• Performance of General Counsel

Finance Committee
Makes Decisions

• NA 

Makes Recommendations

• Annual budget, including management fees and staff time budgets (Board of Directors)
• Budget amendments (Board of Directors)
• Selection of financial audit firm (Board of Directors)
• Financial policies including reserve fund and investment policy (Board of Directors)
• Investment manager selection (Board of Directors)
• Transfers from the operating to the investment fund (Board of Directors)
• Transfers from the short term to the long term investment fund (Board of Directors)

Provides Input

• Financial management and reporting
• Investment strategies, objectives and policy
• Financial benchmarks

Monitors

• Monthly financial performance and reports
• Association income and expense benchmarks
• Investment performance
• Investment instruments and strategies
• US and global economic and market activity via investment advisors

Composition

• Secretary/Treasurer serves as Finance Committee Chair
• Members of the Finance Committee serve by the following appointed positions:  President, President-Elect, Past-President, Education Council Chair, Certification Council Chair

Revised:  March, 2008

Search Committee
Makes Decisions

• Candidates qualified to run for elected positions

Makes Recommendations

• Search process and policy (Board of Directors)
• Slate of qualified candidates for the Board of Directors slate (Board of Directors)
• In collaboration with the Board of Directors, prepares a slate of candidates for elected positions (Members)

Provides Input

• Selection of candidates

Monitors

• Skills and leadership qualities required for board service
• Leadership potential of Lamaze members

Education Council Governing Body
Makes Decisions

• Education program curriculum development
• Program entrance requirements
• Program accreditation
• Education policies
• Conduct of Education Council meetings

Makes Recommendations

• Education program budget (Board)
• Education Council committee chairs and member appointments (President)
• Selection and evaluation of the Council's chief staff position (Board)

Provides Input

• Policies related to board and certification matters
• Strategic plan
• New or retiring program or service initiatives
• Product and service marketing, pricing
• Committee/task force formations and members
• Education program administration

Monitors

• Program Directors Committee
• Program Accreditation Committee
• Continuing Education Committee
• Childbirth Educator Program Curriculum Committee
• International Development Committee
• Contact Hour Review and Approval Committee
• Specialty Workshop Committee
• Bookstore & Media Center
• Lamaze Approved Providers
• Perinatal education trends

Certification Council Governing Body
Makes Decisions

• Certification policies
• Certification exam matters
• Examination development
• Candidate eligibility
• Cut-off scores
• Dissemination of information to candidates
• Contractual arrangements for psychometrician
• Conduct of Certification Council meetings
• Selection and evaluation of the Council’s chief staff position

Makes Recommendations

• Certification budget (Board)
• Certification Council committee chairs and member appointments (President)
• Certification products and services (Board)

Provides Input

• Policies related to board and education matters
• Strategic plan
• Committee/task force formations and members
• New or retiring program or service initiatives
• Product and service marketing, pricing
• Exam administration

Monitors

• Exam Development Committee
• Recertification Committee
• Certification Research Committee
• Perinatal education and certification trends

Conference Committee
Makes Decisions

• Annual Conference educational content and speakers
• Annual Conference theme and objectives

Makes Recommendations

• Dates and locations for Annual Conference (Board of Directors)
• Conference related policies (Board of Directors)

Provides Input

• Conference schedule and events
• Conference abstract management process
• Conference design and promotion plan
• Conference exhibitor product promotion/sponsorship plans
• Conference registration pricing
• Conference evaluations
• Awards nominations

Monitors

• Association trends
• Conference and exhibit trends
• Maternal/child health and perinatal education industry trends

Lamaze Institute for Normal Birth Committee
Makes Decisions

• Collaboration, research and advocacy activities within approved public awareness and social marketing plans
• Sets Birth Network and Community Outreach mini-grant program criteria

Makes Recommendations

• Public awareness and social marketing initiatives (Board of Directors)
• Lamaze Institute for Normal Birth policies (Board of Directors)
• Appointment of Perinatal Research and Advocacy Consultant (President )

Provides Input

• Research and evidence-based information to be published by the Lamaze Institute for Normal Birth
• Collaborative efforts with sister organizations
• Opportunities for cross linkage with other Lamaze publications/communications
• Media opportunities for dissemination of information related to normal birth

Monitors

• Lamaze Institute for Normal Birth content
• Maternal/child health and perinatal education industry trends
• Research pertinent to the field of childbirth and perinatal education

Membership Committee
Makes Decisions

• NA

Makes Recommendations

• NA

Provides Input

• Membership benefits and programs
• Membership policies
• Development of new products and services
• Dues and membership categories/requirements
• Membership recruitment and retention programs
• Lamaze.org developments and features
• Member/non-member pricing of products and services

Monitors

• Membership satisfaction
• Membership reports and trends
• Needs of membership
• Maternal/child health and perinatal education industry trends

Chapter Formation and Development Committee (Currently Inactive)
Makes Decisions

• NA

Makes Recommendations

• NA

Provides Input

• New chapter approvals
• Chapter benefits and programs
• Chapter policies
• Development of new products and services for chapters
• Chapter fees, categories/requirements
• Chapter development and retention plans
• Web site features for chapters
• Amendment to bylaws

Monitors

• Chapter satisfaction
• Chapter reports and trends
• Chapter needs

Lamaze Publishing Editorial Advisory Board Chair
Makes Decisions

• Approves consumer publication editorial content

Makes Recommendations

• Editorial needs and review of articles/videos (Lamaze Publishing)
• Liaison for consumer publications (Editorial Advisory Board) (President)

Provides Input

• Vision for Lamaze consumer publications
• Evaluation of the quality and effectiveness of the Lamaze consumer publications to maintain high quality publications that reflects and promotes the Lamaze philosophies of birth, breastfeeding and parenting.

Monitors

• Competing consumer publications
• Maternal/child health and perinatal education industry trends
• Research pertinent to the field of childbirth and perinatal education.

The Journal of Perinatal Education Editor
Makes Decisions

• Editorial content consistent with the vision of the Journal, adopted by the Board of Directors
• Manuscript acceptance, reviews and revisions
• Appoints associate editor(s) and columnists

Makes Recommendations

• Journal editorial policy (Board of Directors)
• Editorial board member appointments (President)
• Continuing education content (Continuing Education Chair)

Provides Input

• Editorial issues and review of manuscripts as requested
• Quality and effectiveness of the Journal to maintain it as a quality reference source
• Design and promotion plan for the Journal
• Journal pricing

Monitors

• Maternal/child health and perinatal education industry trends
• Research pertinent to the field of childbirth and perinatal education
• Peer-reviewed journal publishing trends

Executive Director and Staff
Makes Decisions

• Management and operations
• Employs, directs, evaluates staff and independent contractors
• Other decisions as authorized by the Board of Directors >

Makes Recommendations

• Agendas for board and council meetings (in collaboration with President and Council Chairs)
• Task force and project advisory teams with specific charge and timeframe (Board of Directors)
• Legal council and auditors (Board of Directors)
• Membership structures and dues (Board of Directors)
• Annual budget, including pricing (Board of Directors)
• Financial impact of proposed initiatives (Board/Council)
• Trademark and licensing activities (Board of Directors)
• Dates and locations for Annual Conference following recommendation of Conference Committee (Board of Directors)
• Other recommendations as requested by the Board of Directors

Provides Input

• Policies
• Strategic plan and annual plan of work
• Committee/task force formations and members
• Volunteer recruitment , training, performance, evaluation and recognition

Monitors

• Financial performance and trends
• Status of strategic plan
• Alignment of council/committee work with strategic plan
• Member needs and association trends
• Maternal/child health and perinatal education industry trends
• Conference and exhibit trends
• Products, programs and services