Role Descriptions:
Board of Directors
Executive Committee
President
Finance Committee
Search Committee
Education Council Governing Body
Certification Council Governing Body
Lamaze Institute for Safe and Healthy Birth
Conference Committee
Membership Committee
Contact Hour Review and Approval Committee
International Development Committee
Journal of Perinatal Education Editorial Board
Executive Director and Staff
References
Governance Culture Statement
Commitment of Conduct
Board of Directors
Makes Decisions/Approves
1. Strategic plan and vision statement
2. Annual budget
3. Executive director/management
4. Board policies
5. Date and location of Lamaze International annual conferences
6. Membership categories and dues
7. New or retiring programs or services, including fundraising initiatives and activities
8. Trademark and licensing activities
9. General Counsel
10. Auditor
11. Investment manager
12. Transfers from operating to investment fund, and from short term to long term investment fund
13. Definition of relationship with strategic alliances and endorsements
14. Committee/task force establishment
15. Appoints Emeritus Director(s)
Makes Recommendations
1. Bylaws (Membership)
2. Mission and philosophy of birth (Membership)
Provides Input
1. Policies related to Education and Certification Councils
Monitors
3. Financial performance and trends
4. Status of strategic plan
5. Member, industry needs
6. Lamaze programs and services
7. Association industry trends
8. Maternal/child health and perinatal education industry trends
9. Relationships with regional, state, and local maternal/child health associations
10. Performance of all contracted services (i.e. management, legal)
11. Performance of Board members
12. Performance of Executive Director
13. Performance of General Counsel
Executive Committee
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.
Makes Decisions/Approves
1. Annual awards selection with input on nominations from the Membership, Board and Conference Committee.
Makes Recommendations
1. Annual Plan of Work (Board of Directors)
2. Management company and General Counsel contracts (Board of Directors)
Provides Input
1. Counsel to Executive Director on management of association
2. Alliances with other organizations
Monitors
1. Board of Director’s positions on issues
2. Execution of Annual Plan of Work
3. Execution of Strategic Plan
4. Performance of Executive Director
5. Performance of General Counsel
President
Makes Decisions
1. Appoints council/committee chairs in collaboration with the Executive Committee and the Executive Director
2. Acts as a spokesperson for the organization consistent with established positions and policies of the organization
3. Other decisions as authorized by the board with input from the Executive Director
Makes Recommendations
1. Annual plan of work (Board of Directors)
2. Management company and General Counsel contracts (Board of Directors)
Provides Input
1. Counsel to Executive Director
2. Alliances with other organizations
Monitors
1. Board of Director’s positions on issues
2. Execution of Annual Plan of Work
3. Execution of Strategic Plan
4. Committees and task forces work in line with the strategic plan
5. Performance of Executive Director
6. Performance of General Counsel
Finance Committee
Makes Decisions
NA
Makes Recommendations
1. Annual budget, including management fees and staff time budgets (Board of Directors)
2. Budget amendments (Board of Directors)
3. Selection of financial audit firm (Board of Directors)
4. Financial policies including investment policy (Board of Directors)
5. Investment manager selection (Board of Directors)
6. Transfers from the operating to the investment fund (Board of Directors)
7. Transfers from the short term to the long term investment fund (Board of Directors)
Provides Input
1. Financial management and reporting
2. Investment strategies, objectives and policy
3. Financial benchmarks
Monitors
1. Monthly financial performance and reports
2. Association income and expense benchmarks
3. Investment performance
4. Investment instruments and strategies
5. US and global economic and market activity
Search Committee
Makes Decisions
1. Candidates qualified to run for elected positions
Makes Recommendations
1. Search process and policy (Board of Directors)
2. Slate of qualified candidates for the Board of Directors slate (Board of Directors)
3. In collaboration with the Board of Directors, prepares a slate of candidates for elected positions (Members)
4. Candidates for other key council/committee chair positions (President)
Provides Input
1. Selection of candidates
Monitors
1. Skills and leadership qualities required for board service
2. Leadership potential of Lamaze members
Education Council Governing Body
Makes Decisions
1. Childbirth educator program curriculum
2. Continuing education programs
3. Program entrance requirements
4. Program accreditation
5. Education policies
6. Conduct of Education Council meetings
Makes Recommendations
1. Education program budget (Board)
2. Education Council committee chairs and member appointments (President)
3. Selection and evaluation of the Council’s chief staff position (Executive Director)
Provides Input
1. Policies related to board and certification matters
2. Strategic plan
3. New or retiring program or service initiatives
4. Product and service marketing, pricing
5. Committee/task force formations and members
6. Education program administration
7. Contact Hour Review and Approval Committee
8. International Development Committee
Monitors
1. Program Directors Committee
2. Program Accreditation Committee
3. Childbirth Educator Program Curriculum Committee
4. Specialty Workshop Committee
5. Perinatal education trends
Certification Council Governing Body
Makes Decisions
1. Certification policies
2. Certification exam matters
3. Examination development
4. Candidate eligibility
5. Cut-off scores
6. Dissemination of information to candidates
7. Contractual arrangements for psychometrician
8. Conduct of Certification Council meetings
Makes Recommendations
1. Certification budget (Board)
2. Certification Council committee chairs and member appointments (President)
3. Certification products and services (Board)
4. Selection and evaluation of the Council’s chief staff position (Executive Director)
Provides Input
1. Policies related to board and education matters
2. Strategic plan
3. Committee/task force formations and members
4. New or retiring program or service initiatives
5. Product and service marketing, pricing
5. Exam administration
Monitors
1. Exam Development Committee
2. Recertification
3. Certification Research
4. Perinatal education and certification trends
Lamaze Institute for Safe and Healthy Birth
Makes Decisions
1. Collaboration, research and advocacy activities within approved public awareness and social marketing plans
2. Sets Birth Network and Community Outreach mini-grant program criteria
3. Content and delivery of consumer education programs
Makes Recommendations
1. Public awareness and social marketing initiatives and related budget (Board of Directors)
2. Lamaze Institute for Safe and Healthy Birth policies (Board of Directors)
3. Consumer education programs (Board of Directors)
Provides Input
1. Research and evidenced-based information to be published via Lamaze publications and communications
2. Collaborative efforts with sister organizations
3. Opportunities for cross linkage with other Lamaze publications/communications
4. Media opportunities for dissemination of information related to safe and healthy birth
5. Appointment of Perinatal Research and Advocacy Consultant/Science & Sensibility Blog Editor (President)
Monitors
1. Lamaze media and social media initiatives
2. Maternal/child health and perinatal education industry trends
3. Research pertinent to the field of childbirth and perinatal education
Conference Committee
Makes Decisions
1. Annual Conference educational content and speakers
2. Annual Conference theme and objectives
Makes Recommendations
1. Dates and locations for Annual Conference (Board of Directors)
2. Conference related policies (Board of Directors)
Provides Input
1. Conference schedule and events
2. Conference abstract management process
3. Conference design and promotion plan
4. Conference exhibitor product promotion/sponsorship plans
5. Conference registration pricing
6. Conference evaluations
7. Awards nominations
Monitors
1. Association trends
2. Conference and exhibit trends
3. Maternal/child health and perinatal education industry trends
Membership Committee
Makes Decisions
1. Membership outreach efforts
2. Membership survey content
Makes Recommendations
1. Membership benefits/programs and related budget (Board of Directors)
2. Membership policies (Board of Directors)
Provides Input
1. Development of new products and services
2. Dues and membership categories/requirements
3. Membership recruitment and retention programs
4. Web site developments and features
5. Member/non-member pricing of products and services
Monitors
1. Membership satisfaction
2. Membership reports and trends
3. Needs of membership
4. Maternal/child health and perinatal education industry trends
Contact Hour Review and Approval Committee
Makes Decisions
1. Approved provider application process to maintain status as a provider of nursing contact hours through American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) and the California Bureau of Registered Nursing (CBRN) and other providerships, such as with the International Board of Lactation Consultant Examiners (IBCLE) for Continuing Education Recognition Points (CERPs)
2. Contact hours awarded to Lamaze professional education and continuing education programs for Lamaze, nursing and IBLCE contact hours (i.e. conference, workshops, Webinars, home studies, etc.)
3. Contact hour application review for continuing education credit from organizations seeking contact hour approval from Lamaze International (i.e. Lamaze-Accredited Childbirth Educator Programs and other organizations)
Makes Recommendations
1. Related to maintaining continuing education program accreditation standards (ANCC, CBRN, IBCLE) and associated budget (Board of Directors)
2. Continuing education accreditation policies (Board of Directors)
Provides Input
1. Lamaze-sponsored continuing education programs to be approved by other appropriate organizations to expand the reach of these offerings
2. Continuing education program development
Monitors
1. Approved provider status deadlines and application processes
2. Lamaze continuing education program evaluations
3. Trends in continuing education and accreditation
4. Trends in curriculum development and adult learning
International Development Committee
Makes Decisions
1. International mini-grant recipients
2. International scholarship award recipients
Makes Recommendations
1. Strategies to promote international development (Board of Directors)
Provides Input
1. Education and certification programs and policies related to international development
Monitors
1. Growth of international LCCE educators
2. International education and certification trends
The Journal of Perinatal Education Editor-in-Chief
Makes Decisions
1. Editorial content consistent with the vision of the Journal, adopted by the Board of Directors
2. Manuscript acceptance, reviews and revisions
3. Appoints associate editor(s) and columnists
Makes Recommendations
1. Journal editorial policy (Board of Directors)
2. Editorial board member appointments (President)
3. Continuing education content (Continuing Education Chair)
Provides Input
1. Editorial issues and review of manuscripts as requested
2. Quality and effectiveness of the Journal to maintain it as a quality reference source
3. Design and promotion plan for the Journal
4. Journal pricing
Monitors
1. Maternal/child health and perinatal education industry trends
2. Research pertinent to the field of childbirth and perinatal education
3. Peer-reviewed journal publishing trends
Executive Director
Makes Decisions
1. Management and operations
2. Employs, directs, evaluates staff and independent contractors
3. Other decisions as authorized by the Board of Directors
Makes Recommendations
1. Agendas for board and council meetings (in collaboration with President and Council Chairs)
2. Task force and project advisory teams with specific charge and timeframe (Board of Directors)
3. Legal council and auditors (Board of Directors)
4. Membership structures and dues (Board of Directors)
5. Annual budget, including pricing (Board of Directors)
6. Financial impact of proposed initiatives (Board/Council)
7. Trademark and licensing activities (Board of Directors)
8. Dates and locations for Annual Conference following recommendation of Conference Committee (Board of Directors)
9. Other recommendations as requested by the Board of Directors
Provides Input
1. Policies
2. Strategic plan and annual plan of work
3. Committee/task force formations and members
4. Volunteer recruitment , training, performance, evaluation and recognition
Monitors
1. Financial performance and trends
2. Status of strategic plan
3. Alignment of council/committee work with strategic plan
4. Member needs and association trends
5. Maternal/child health and perinatal education industry trends
6. Conference and exhibit trends
7. Products, programs and services