Members

The Abstract Workgroup plays a vital role selecting the research presented at the Annual Conference. Workgroup members review abstracts submitted for presentation at the Annual Conference and have a front row seat to the amazing research that is being done to advance the field of genetic counseling.

Volunteer Responsibilities and Time Commitment

• Abstract workgroup members serve a 3-year term.
• Training is provided for abstract review, including both recorded and live online trainings and practice abstracts.
• Workgroup members are asked to review approximately 20-30 abstracts with a 2-week time frame in late Spring-Summer 2025. Workgroup members may also assist with moderating concurrent paper and/or poster sessions at the 2025 Annual Conference, if attending.
  • The majority of the Abstract Workgroup volunteer time takes place in the Spring and Summer 2025 preceding the annual conference to ensure research is selected and authors are notified in advance of the conference.
  • Time commitment depends on the number of abstracts received, however includes ~3-4 hours of training (including recordings which can be viewed independently, live group training, and practice abstracts) and dedicated independent time to review abstracts over a several week period as above.

Qualifications

• The Abstract Workgroup welcomes applications from NSGC members.  While having a background in research is helpful, it is certainly not required.  The workgroup trains all members to evaluate abstract submissions.  All are welcome to apply!
• The Abstract Workgroup especially welcomes new graduates and is a great way to become involved in NSGC.  Having a diverse pool of abstract reviewers ensures that the selected abstracts best represent the interests of our Society members.

Interested applicants are welcome to contact the current Abstract Workgroup chairs for more information:

• Nikkola Carmichael (Chair)- nikkola@bu.edu
• Laura Hendon (Past Chair): lhendon@umc.edu

The Access and Service Delivery (ASD) Committee is responsible for monitoring and addressing issues related to increasing access to genetic counselors and the delivery of genetic counseling services. The Committee is organized into working groups which are determined based upon the charges for the year. For example, to accomplish the 2024 charges the Committee was organized into the following working groups: Billing & CPT Education, Payer Engagement, and Environmental Scan.

Examples of ASD Projects:

• Development and promotion of billing, coding, and credentialing resources.
• Licensure grant application review.
• Member education on ASD issues and resources (such as the new CPT code), including Advocate and Perspectives articles, webinars, courses, and more.
• Environmental scan of state laws impacting genetic counselor scope of practice.

Volunteer Expectations:

• Three-year term.
• Available for semi-monthly all ASD member Committee calls.
• Available for monthly, or rarely more frequent, working group calls.
• There are no travel expectations associated with the ASD.
• Committee members are expected to spend 3-4 hours per month including meetings.

Please reach out to ASD Staff Liaison Andrew Buckley with any questions.

The Advocacy Coordinating Committee (ACC) collaborates with staff in coordinating outreach, communication, and education for the membership focused on building support for the Access to Genetic Counselor Services Act (H.R. 3876/ S.2323). To learn more about NSGC’s federal effort, visit the Federal Advocacy webpage. 

Committee members are expected to spend 2-3 hours per month on their Committee responsibilities which include:

• Attend and actively participate in monthly meetings
• Review weekly committee email updates
• Recruiting participants for NSGC’s Virtual Hill events.
• Collaborate with staff on outreach to the membership, constituents, and organizations focused on building cosponsors for the federal bill.
• Provide regular updates on outreach activity.
• Communicate the value of participating as an advocate for the federal bill through member education.

Please note that member responsibilities may evolve depending on the status of the Access to Genetic Counselor Services Act. Because of this, there are no set term limits for the ACC. There are also no travel requirements for the ACC, but volunteers local to the Washington, D.C. area may be invited to events on Capitol Hill.

Please reach out to ACC Staff Liaison Andrew Buckley with any questions.

Throughout the year, NSGC identifies various opportunities to engage volunteers in short-term projects such as document review, subject matter commentary or resource development.  Additionally, we may have the opportunity to engage members to serve as liaisons to specific projects or organizations, or to engage members in other ways.  Members who are willing to be contacted as opportunities arise in 2024 should submit their application via the Call for Volunteers process (select the Ad Hoc Projects option under interested committees). 

The Annual Conference Program Committee (ACPC) works year-round to plan and develop the educational content for NSGC’s Annual Conference (AC). The committee term is three years, and committee members are involved in a number of tasks including:

• Review of the prior conference attendees’ feedback as guidance for future planning.
• Review and scoring of session proposal submissions and determination of the final slate of sessions at the conference.
• Communication with accepted session coordinators  to ensure development of sessions that match the ACPC’s conference vision.
• Development of  late-breaking sessions and other educational content as needed.
• Collaboration with various NSGC committees.
• Feedback on ACPC processes for future improvements.

Applicants are encourage to have the following skills and competencies: 

Candidates for the ACPC should have passion and enthusiasm for bringing strong educational content to the NSGC membership while centering inclusivity in the decision-making process. They should demonstrate leadership qualities, the ability to provide robust feedback, and volunteer their input without having to be invited to do so. They should have a solid working knowledge of the specialty areas of the GC profession and an awareness of leaders in their field, as they will be an advocate for that content at the AC. Training and mentoring occur throughout the term (most predominantly in the first year).

Busy times include Jan-March (proposal reviews, in-person session selection meeting for 2-3 days) and in the Fall leading up to the AC. Time commitment (excluding the in-person meeting) is about 40-50 hours per year. AC registration fees are covered for ACPC members. Interested applicants should submit their CVs and a one-page statement of interest as part of the Call for Volunteers application form. Applicants are welcome to contact 2024 ACPC Chairs, Sophia Ceulemans (sophia.ceulemans@gmail.com) and/or Sarah Bannon (sarah.bannon@nih.gov).

The Audrey Heimler Special Project Award (AHSPA) provides an annual award of $10,000 to one or more genetic counselors for a project that focuses on the future of the genetic counseling profession and/or the provision of genetic services. Past projects have included resources for genetic counselors to use with patients, research to help advance the profession and innovative continuing education resources for genetic counselors in current practice. The AHSPA Committee reviews project proposals and selects the winner(s) of the award.

Committee Expectations & Responsibilities:

• Three (3) year term with the expectation that one committee member will become chair during their third year with optional co-chair.
• All members to participate in 3 to 5 calls (~30 to 60 minutes) annually.
• All members review AHSPA proposals and assign scores and provide comments.
• All members review and score volunteer application.

The NSGC Awards Committee is responsible for oversight and selection of the NSGC Leadership Awards and of NSGC’s various organizational scholarships, recognizing those who have demonstrated a commitment to the genetic counseling profession and NSGC.

Committee Member Responsibilities:

• Oversee the nomination process, review applications, and select winners for NSGC Leadership Awards, Student Research Scholarship, Sponsored Annual Conference Scholarship, and Full Member Scholarship.
• Conduct outreach and both formal and informal communications to encourage nominations for Leadership Awards from diverse groups within the membership.
• Conduct assessment of awards application and selection processes.
• Awards committee members are not eligible to be nominated for or receive awards granted by the committee.

Volunteer Expectations and Skills:

• One year term.
• Availability year round but majority of committee work is done in late-Spring, Summer, and Fall.
• Availability for monthly/quarterly committee calls.
• Full, New Genetic Counselor, Emeritus or Associate members of NSGC.
• Previous experience with evaluating and interviewing applications, supervision, etc. are valuable skills, but are not required.
• Prompt communicator with frequent access to emails.
• Excellent organization skills.
• Critical thinking skills to help redesign application questions, streamline processes, and review the various applications.

Interested in getting involved with NSGC but have limited time? The NSGC CEU Review Subcommittee offers a flexible opportunity for you to get involved around your schedule. The CEU Review Subcommittee provides a service which impacts the entire genetic counseling field, by approving continuing education activities for all certified genetic counselors. 

Committee Structure 

• As a subcommittee of the NSGC Education Committee, each CEU review team consists of a blend of new and experienced CEU reviewers.
• Members of this subcommittee work on 2-3 person teams to discuss, review, and approve Category 1 and Category 2 CEU applications. 
• Our goal is to  have 30 teams in 2024-2025 to keep up with the demand of CEU applications being submitted. 

Volunteer Responsibilities

• Alternate assignments with your team to evaluate one Category 1 CEU application or a group of Category 2 CEU applications using the criteria outlined in the CEU Standards and Guidelines.
• Teams typically receive 1-2 assignments per month, with a review time of 2-4 weeks per assignment.
• Training materials and staff support are provided!

Qualifications

• Prompt communicator.
• Excellent organization skills.
• Ability to work as part of a team.
• Critical thinking.
• Ability to operate "in the grey" and interpret the intent of a rule or guideline.

This is a great opportunity to be involved and volunteer, especially if you do not have large amounts of time available for multiple meetings and discussion. Most reviews can be completed online in small time increments. The CEU review committee co-chairs also are always available to help with questions and concerns.

Chris Wensel: wenselc@ccf.org

Stephanie Kramer: skramer3@kumc.edu

Tanya Eble: teble@bcm.edu

The purpose of the Disciplinary Procedures Committee is to review complaints brought in accordance with NSGC’s Disciplinary Procedures Process. If a complaint meets the requirements, criteria and scope of the Discipinary Procedures, then committee members will review all materials to determine whether it warrants a full investigation, and if so, conduct an investigation and notify the relevant parties of the result. 

Members of the committee must agree to maintain the confidentiality of all meetings, proceedings and discussions and perform their work in alignment with NSGC’s policies and processes. In the absence of a complaint, the committee will meet on a quarterly basis to complete the established training and ensure familiarity with the Disciplinary Procedures Process.

Committee members are expected to serve a two-year term, and the terms will be staggered so that no more than three new members are appointed each year. As 2025 will be the second year the committee has been active, the three committee members from its inaugural year (2024) will continue their two-year term into 2025 and the 2024 vice chair will move into the chair role. Currently, NSGC is only recruiting one new member to be considered for either a vice chair role or committee member role in 2025. 

The Education Committee is responsible for oversight and development of NSGC educational products and services to ensure NSGC’s education programs grow and support both the core skills and specialized needs of our members. The Education Committee also ensures that diverse content is covered across different educational modalities and integrated any identified gaps or novel needs across NSGC platforms.

The following is a description of the Vice Chair position of the Education Committee. If you are interested in this position, please ensure that you indicate this in the leadership section of the application.

Volunteer Responsibilities and Time Commitment

• Work with the Education Committee Chair, NSGC Education Manager and NSGC Board Liaison to execute on the Education Committee charges, which can include working on projects independently and/or coordinating efforts across multiple stakeholders.
• Support the Subcommittees within the Education Committee by providing them with insight and guidance, as needed.
• Attend monthly Education Committee leadership calls and meetings, NSGC quarterly committee calls, as well as other calls representing the Education Committee leadership as needed.

Vice Chair Qualifications

• Passion for education
• Previous experience in one (or more) of the NSGC committees, subcommittees or workgroups. Experience within the Education committee is recommended
• Must have good communication and organizational skills.

Contact Info:

Interested applicants are welcome to contact the current Education chairs for more information, although please note that the Vice-Chair selection is conducted through the NSGC Board’s Vice-Chair selection process.”

• Kate Shane-Carson, kate.shane@osumc.edu
• Brad Rolf, barolf@uw.edu

NSGC’s Ethics Advisory Group (EAG) is calling for applications for 2 new members to serve from January 2025 through December 2027. The EAG’s purpose is to serve as an education resource to the membership and Board on matters involving ethical concerns. Applications from GCs working in any specialty are welcome. Formal experience or training in ethics may be helpful but is not required. Please address the following in your application; why you are interested in joining the EAG, your relevant experience, an example of your work within a team to resolve an ethical conflict related to genetic counseling, and how you believe the NSGC Code of Ethics can facilitate the resolution of ethical conflicts in the field

The JEMF Advisory Group has openings for up to two (2) new members to serve a 5-year term to begin in January of the following year. The JEMF provides support for research by genetic counselors, promotes individual professional development, and drives innovation in the field of genetic counseling. The JEMF Advisory Group strives to reflect the diversity within our genetic counseling community.  An Advisory Group member is not eligible to apply for or serve in any role for any JEMF full member award or grant submitted during their tenure or in the year following the ending of their term. For additional questions please visit our JEMF website.

Volunteer Expectations & Requirements:

• Review full member grant proposals
• Review student award applications 
• Attend quarterly meetings and a two day in person summer business meeting 
• Experience serving as a co-investigator or lead investigator on research studies
• Experience providing research mentorship
• Experience reviewing/submitting grant proposals 

The NSGC J.E.D.I. Stewardship Committee facilitates communication around Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (J.E.D.I.) within NSGC and advances organizational goals related to J.E.D.I. as outlined in the NSGC J.E.D.I. Action Plan and Strategic Plan. As other committees are also involved in advancing J.E.D.I. within NSGC, the J.E.D.I. Stewardship Committee often collaborates with various internal committees and volunteers, as well as external communities and partnering organizations, to support and inform NSGC’s J.E.D.I. initiatives and develop any pertinent recommendations for NSGC.

Committee members hold a two-year term. The committee meets once a month for a one-hour meeting. Committee working groups collaborate on specific projects or initiatives (e.g., student outreach, communications, partnerships) throughout the year and meet on a quarterly basis. NSGC members and student members with professional, personal or volunteer experience and interest in J.E.D.I. are welcome to apply.  

The Knowledge Assessment Committee (KAC) is an Education Subcommittee responsible for aiding in the preparation of high quality CEU quizzes that accurately and fairly assess knowledge gained from an NSGC-sponsored education activity so that CEUs can be earned. These activities may include webinars, JGC CEU articles, and on-demand offerings from the NSGC AEC. Item (quiz question) writing is often completed independently by members with support from the KAC chairs or experienced committee members.

Volunteer Responsibilities and Time Commitment

• Training in proper quiz item writing is provided to all committee volunteers via a short, pre-recorded webinar.
• In the first quarter, committee members will be asked to view approximately 5 hours of recorded content from the AEC and write corresponding quiz items.
• Committee members will each write quiz items for 1-2 Journal of Genetic Counseling articles per year.
• Committee members with more item writing experience may be asked to mentor individuals who are writing quiz items, review quiz items for quality assurance, and/or independently write quiz items for other activities.
• Other than AEC content, work is sporadic (about 1-3 times a year) for mentoring, reviewing, or writing 6-8 quiz items.
  • KAC chair is cognizant of members’ time of year availability.
  • Notice of assignments are often 2-4 weeks in advance.

Qualifications

• Independent worker.
• Receptive to feedback.
• Strong reading comprehension.
• Prior item writing experience is a bonus, but not required.

Contact Info

Interested applicants are welcome to contact the current KAC chairs for more information:

• Chair - Hillary Ohlhausen, hmay.porter@gmail.com
• Vice Chair – Sandra Dreike, sandra.dreike@gmail.com

The Membership Committee is responsible for recruitment, retention, mentorship, leadership development, and inclusion efforts for the NSGC membership.

Volunteer Responsibilities & Expectations: 

• Managing SIG SOP Development 
• Managing SIG Project Applicatino Review and Fund Disbursement 
• Facilitating mentorship and leadership development via NSGConnect and other platforms.
• Designing strategies for recruiting diverse and underrepresented individuals to our profession.
• Advocating for member benefits that retain an inclusive, engaged membership cohort.
• Recruiting and selecting diverse membership voices for the Nominating Committee.
• Volunteers are expected to participate in monthly committee meetings 
•  Average 2 - 3 hours of work per month 

The Nominating Committee consists of eight members: four current Board members [the Immediate Past President (chair), the President, two (2) Directors-at-Large], and four (4) non-Board members, Members-At-Large, appointed by the Membership Committee. The Nominating Committee is charged with the responsibility to put forth a slate of candidates for open positions on the Board of Directors that will best lead NSGC and that, to the degree possible from the pool of eligible nominees, reflects the high value NSGC places on diversity of all kinds, including diversity in skills, specialty, experience, culture, race, gender identity, sexual orientation and disability status.

The Nominating Committee’s primary responsibilities are as follows:

• Participate in NSGC-provided implicit bias training to prepare for committee work
• Actively participate in committee meetings
• Thoroughly review all application materials and candidate applications
• Interview a subset of candidates using a structured interview guide
• Evaluate candidates utilizing structured scoring rubrics
• Recommend a slate of officers and directors to serve as NSGC Board members beginning on January 1 of the following year

Time commitment is estimated to be 30 – 40 hours over January to June.

Qualifications

Candidates for the Nominating Committee should demonstrate dedication to the growth of NSGC and the genetic counseling profession. It is recommended that candidates display leadership abilities, are active members of NSGC, and have been employed as a genetic counselor for at least two (2) years. Candidates who represent a variety of work settings and/or other aspects of diversity within NSGC are strongly recommended to apply.

NSGConnect is NSGC’s online mentorship program. It aims to connect members with each other on both a professional and social level, providing guidance and support, professional development and networking, and it is open to all NSGC members. Mentors and mentees can match across a variety of interests and specialties.More specifically, a mentor is someone who offers their professional or personal experience to share with others seeking that information. Each mentor/mentee relationship is unique and tailored to the match’s needs. The time commitment for this program is flexible and up to the matched pair. Some matches are a one-time connection while others last for several weeks, months, or longer.

The On-Demand Subcommittee creates and evaluates online courses that support genetic counselors’ continuing education. Members of the On-Demand Subcommittee assess the educational needs for genetic counselors, identify topics relevant to genetic counseling, review NSGC’s library of educational materials to ensure content is up-to-date, and create new courses and course material. This is an exciting opportunity for individuals who are passionate about education and want to put their creative skills to use!

Volunteer Responsibilities and Time Commitment

• Attend subcommittee meetings once a month
• Collaborate with other committee members to develop new course content and coordinate with
  speakers
•  Watch, review, and rate expiring courses to suggest for or against renewal
  •  Each course takes 3-5 hours to review
  • Typically members review ~2 courses per year
  • As a benefit of the subcommittee, reviewed courses can be claimed for CEUs
• Request that each committee member commit to minimum 2 years of service

Qualifications

The On-Demand Subcommittee is looking for applicants who have an enthusiasm for genetic counseling education. Value will also be placed on applicants who bring creative ideas for new course creation, as well as provide a critical eye to expiring material. No previous experience in education is required; however, applications from individuals with educational experience (e.g., lecturers, course instructors, etc.) will have an advantage. Regardless of prior experience, anyone interested in education for genetic counselors is encouraged to apply. The On-Demand Subcommittee provides a great opportunity to learn about and contribute to NSGC education development, develop personal leadership and education skills, and network with experts within genetic counselors and beyond, all while earning CEUs.

Contact Info:

Interested applicants are welcome to contact the current subcommittee chairs for more information.

• Jessica Feldman, Vice-Chair: Jessica.GC.Feldman@gmail.com
• Darcy Huismann, Vice-Chair, darcy.huismann@gmail.com

Members of the NSGC Perspectives Committee are responsible for identifying authors, soliciting articles and/or writing articles on a quarterly basis.

Volunteer Expections & Responsibilities: 

• Assist in identifying key topics of interest and themes including those that are appropriate to identified interests and needs of the profession
• Identify authors, solicit articles, and write articles as assigned by the NSGC Executive Editor
• Contribute one article per quarter to Perspectives
• Share author guidelines with all authors and provide support and adherence to the publication process
• As assigned, engage Committee Chairs, SIG leaders, and others throughout NSGC to obtain articles
• Review article  and ensure author affiliations, degrees, bios are sent with article
• Attend quarterly committee calls to brainstorm new topics and ideas
• Committed to ensuring a high-quality and evolving member resource
• Must maintain a working e-mail address in the membership database
• Must be detail-oriented and able to meet deadlines
• Prior editorial experience/background a plus
• Must have good communication and organizational skills

The NSGC Practice Guidelines Committee (PGC) facilitates the development of new NSGC evidence-based practice guidelines (PGs) and practice resources (PRs) from conception to completion and maintains existing PGs and PRs. The PGC does not author documents but plays key roles in development such as prioritizing potential topics, assembling author groups, reviewing manuscript drafts, and seeking approvals and endorsements.  Experience in clinical research, evidence reviews, and guideline development is appreciated, but not required. 

Volunteer Responsibilities and Time Commitment: 

• Three - year term 
• Average 3 - 6 hours of work per month
• Participate in monthly committee meetings
• Serve as liaisons to author groups. 
• Potential involvement with PGC Subcommittee (e.g. Conflict of Interest Subcommittee)
• No travel is required for this role

Please reach out to ACC Staff Liaison Andrew Buckley with any questions.

The Position Statement Committee (PSC) develops and revises NSGC position statements, in accordance with NSGC policies. Members may also assist in creating public comments, as led by NSGC’s strategic plan, for specific issues related to proposed policy, federal rules, and regulations. They may also support the education of NSGC members regarding policy-related issues in genetic counseling.

 Volunteer Responsibilities and Time Commitment:

• Review position statements annually to determine if statements should be revised, retired, or reaffirmed.
• Serve on at least two working groups annually to draft new position statements or revise existing ones.
• Perform comprehensive reviews of academic literature, current news, and/or legislation related to the issue/topic addressed by the position statement as needed, engage subject area experts, and participate in open and thoughtful discussion.
• Serve as a working group coordinator at least once, which includes coordinating and scheduling working group meetings, taking notes, managing action items, leading discussions, drafting memos to the board, and corresponding with subject matter experts.
• Three-year term
• Typically requires 2-3 hours per month, including a monthly committee meeting and separate working group meetings
• Additional meetings may be needed depending on whether urgent issues arise that require input from the PSC
• No travel is required for this role 

Please reach out to PSC Staff Liaison Andrew Buckley, or current leadership, Elise Sobotka and Jennifer Proffitt, with any questions.

The NSGC Research, Quality, and Outcomes (RQO) Committee stewards NSGC’s research strategy and serves as a resource for the NSGC resource community. Committee work typically includes developing and supporting NSGC’s Research Initiative, reviewing and disseminating SIG Research Grants, and maintaining NSGC’s Genetic Counseling Literature Repository and other educational content. Experience in research, study design, measure development, and patient-reported outcomes are valuable skills, but not necessary for Committee membership. The RQO Committee ultimately seeks candidates who are eager to learn about, and improve, NSGC’s ability to measure genetic counseling outcomes, demonstrate the value of genetic counseling services, and advance genetic counseling research.

Volunteer Responsibilities and Time Commitment: 

• Three-year term
• Average 3 - 4 hours of work per month
• Participate in monthly committee
• Participate on 1 - 2 subcommittees 
• No travel is required for this role

 Applicants are welcome to submit questions to Andrew Buckley, the RQO Committee Staff Liaison.

Committee is responsible for assisting with educational live webinars hosted by NSGC. Each member will be assigned webinars and become the liaison to assist with logistics of the webinar, content review, and moderation of live webinars. The webinar subcommittee aims to curate and create content that keeps our membership apprised of how the latest trends in healthcare may affect them. The subcommittee also partners with SIG leadership and organizations across NSGC to bring attention to content that spans many fields relevant to genetic counselors. 

Volunteer Responsibilities and Time Commitment

• Moderate  live webinars through introduction, question moderation, and closing
• Review content of webinar slides and Q&A provided to committee prior to live webinar
• Participate in a planning/logistics meeting prior to live webinar to assist speaker(s) and SIG leaders with questions/concerns
• Update education dashboard spreadsheet following live webinar
• Help to coordinate and curate content for webinars
• Training will be done over Monthly Webinar Subcommittee meetings. Each new member will be paired with an established subcommittee member for the first webinars they participate in. The Chair and Vice-Chair are available to address any questions or concerns.
• Monthly meeting with all members that last the full year. Meetings are typically 30 min -1 hour.
• On average, each webinar should take around 2.5 hours of time (including the 1 hour live webinar, logistics meeting, and offline review).
• There are around 20 webinars per calendar year; member time and participation can vary based on availability and number of liaisons.
• This is a combination of independent work with the individual’s webinars and group work interacting with the entire Webinar Subcommittee.

Qualifications

• Interest and enthusiasm in helping disseminate new and relevant educational content through webinars
• Desire to learn and participate in webinar process from start to finish

Contact Info:

• Alice Zalan, alicezalan@gmail.com
• Rachel Shapira, rachelshapira@gmail.com