ACNM - Volunteer

Volunteers
Volunteering is one way to make a real difference! From helping your local community to bettering conditions across the globe, you can positively impact people by offering your time and creativity to ACNM's cause. Gain new experiences and insights, make meaningful connections, and build essential career skills by giving back to others!

Contact ACNM volunteers by logging into the member directory.
Check out our open volunteer opportunities.

Download Volunteer Chart
Download 2022 - 2023 ACNM Governance Handbook - Dec 12. 2019 - revised 6.6.2022.pdf
One unique aspect of the American College of Nurse-Midwives is its vast array of opportunities and positions available to all potential volunteers. Much of the organization's successes and victories derive from the efforts of volunteers who span across the United States.

ACNM encourages our members to find an area that aligns with their interests and talents below:

Board of Directors
Board Committees
Other Committees
Divisions & Committees
Task Forces
Caucuses

Board of Directors

President
Jessica Brumley, PhD, CNM, FACNM
Tampa, FL

Vice President
Alexis Dunn Amore, PhD, CNM, FACNM, FAAN
Memphis, TN

Treasurer
Susan A. DeJoy, CNM (ret), MSN, PhD
Springfield, MA

Secretary
Brenda Reseter, CNM, MSN
Fort Sam Houston, TX

Region I Representative
Julie Knutson, DNP, CNM, WHNP, IBCLC, FACNM
Providence, RI

Region II Representative
Emily McGahey, DM, MSN, CNM, FACNM
Pittsburgh, PA

Region III Representative
Nikia Grayson, DNP, MPH, MA, CNM, FNP-C
Bartlett, TN

Region IV Representative
Kathleen Lavery, MS, CNM
Jackson, MI

Region V Representative
Carrie Neerland, PhD, APRN, CNM, FACNM
Minneapolis, MN

Region VI Representative
Jessica Ellis CNM, PHD, FACNM
Salt Lake City, UT

Region VII Representative
Michelle Palmer, PhD, CNM, CNE, FACNM
HI

Public Member
Jeff Clark, MD, MPH, MSS, FAAFP
Santa Fe, NM

At-Large Midwife of Color
Mari-Carmen Farmer, MSN, CNM, WHNP-BC
Philadelphia, PA

Midwife of Color Chair
Carolyn Curtis, MSN, CNM, APRN, FACNM, FAAN
Washington, DC

Foundation President
Lisa Kane Low, PhD, CNM, FACNM, FAAN
Ann Arbor, MI

Board Committees
Executive Committee
Chair: Jessica Brumley

Comprises the President, Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer, President-Elect, and one other voting member of the Board
Performs duties delegated by the Board and may act on behalf of the Board between meetings, as consistent with the Bylaws

Awards Committee
Chair: Alexis Dunn Amore

Coordinates and oversees the management of the ACNM awards
Responds to charges from the Board meetings, as specified in the Charge Book

Finance and Audit Committee
Chair: Susan DeJoy

Carries out financial oversight for the College
Recommends policy and guidelines concerning financial matters to the Board

Board Governance Committee
Chair: Nikia Grayson

Assists the Board in overseeing the College’s governance structure, policies, and procedures
Reviews the overall governance of the College and recommends improvements when necessary to the Board

Personnel Committee
Chair: Kathleen Lavery

Advises the Board on matters pertaining to personnel, administration, staffing, and benefits

Regional Representatives I, II, III, IV, V, VI, and VII

Regions:

I	II	III	IV	V	VI	VII
Connecticut Maine Massachusetts New Hampshire New York Rhode Island Vermont Puerto Rico	Washington, DC. Maryland New Jersey Pennsylvania Virginia West Virginia International addresses	Alabama Florida Georgia Louisiana Mississippi North Carolina South Carolina Tennessee	Arkansas Illinois Indiana Kentucky Michigan Missouri Ohio	Iowa Kansas Minnesota Nebraska North Dakota Oklahoma South Dakota Wisconsin	Arizona Colorado Indian Health Services Montana New Mexico Texas Utah Wyoming	Alaska California Hawaii Idaho Nevada Oregon Washington Uniformed Services Samoa Guam

Region I Representative: Julie Knutson
Region II Representative: Emily McGahey
Region III Representative: Nikia Grayson
Region IV Representative: Kathleen Lavery
Region V Representative: Carrie Neerland
Region VI Representative: Jessica Ellis
Region VII Representative: Michelle Palmer

Other Committees

Nominating Committee
Chair: Carol Blues Kimberly Amsley-Camp

Comprised of seven members
Facilitates identification and evaluation of eligible college members to fill vacancies on ACNM Board

Council of Fellows

Comprised of ACNM members who have been granted the Fellow of ACNM (FACNM) designation and is a component of the Board
Serves as a general resource to ACNM and the profession of midwifery in a consultative and advisory capacity
Reflects the commitment of the ACNM to honor the breadth of expertise and collective wisdom among midwives represented within the Board of Fellows

Volunteer Leadership Council (VLC)
Chair: Alexis Dunn Amore

Provides a forum for communication and coordination among ACNM Divisions to promote transparency and synergy within the volunteer structure and to facilitate coordination with the Board and the national office
Comprised of chairs of the ACNM Divisions and a representative from the Nominating Committee, and chaired by the Vice President

Divisions & Committees
Division of Advocacy and Affiliate Support enables a legislative and public policy environment that supports the unencumbered practice of midwifery by CNMs and CMs to the full extent of their education, training, and experience; increases consumer awareness, understanding, and use of midwifery and midwives; and strengthens and supports ACNM’s state affiliates.

Chair: Zoe Gutterman

Affiliate Development and Support Committee (ADS)
Chair: Linda George

Directly develops and provides ACNM state Affiliate leaders with the resources (via access to current and pertinent materials: toolkits, training, mentoring, websites, etc.) needed to create and manage dynamic, thriving Affiliates
Assists Affiliate leaders in effectively governing and managing State Affiliates
Increases diversity within the membership and leadership of Affiliates
Increases general Affiliate member numbers, engagement, and satisfaction
Strengthens statewide communications, supporting structures, and networking
Maintains open and dynamic linkages with regional and national structures; facilitates student engagement at the Affiliate level
Provides professional development opportunities for members; plans and implements the Affiliate Workshop at the Annual Meeting
Coordinates within the DAAS to ensure advocacy and consumer engagement agendas are implemented at the Affiliate level

Committee of Midwife Advocates for Certified Midwives (C-MAC)
Chair: Marian Seliquini

Supports full and equitable national and state recognition of the CM, state licensure of CMs with unencumbered practice to the full extent of their education, training, experience, and ACNM membership; advocates for state legislation directed towards licensure and full practice authority for CMs
Educates the membership about CMs; increases midwifery student population by promoting multiple pathways to midwifery education
Lobbies for the CM role in federal and state initiatives related to provision of midwifery care; develops advocacy strategies during Annual Meeting
Coordinates activities within the DAAS and with the federal lobbyist and ACNM Director of Government Affairs

Consumer Engagement Committee (CEC)
Chair: Chris Kocis

Provides recommendations and expertise to the ACNM Board, affiliate leadership, and members related to increasing consumer engagement in midwifery
Identifies consumers as they relate to the profession of midwifery
Determines barriers restricting access to midwifery care and develops strategies to overcome these barriers to improve the health and well-being of women and their families
Educates targeted organizations that engage adolescent women and women beyond childbearing years about the benefits of midwifery care
Develops and establishes strategies that will enhance the engagement of consumers in services offering the midwifery model of care

National Government Affairs Committee (NGAC)
Chair: Lexi Garbus

Identifies and prioritizes legislative, advocacy, and public policy issues and opportunities that relate to midwifery and maternal health at the national level and supports identification and implementation of ACNM’s advocacy agenda
Serves as a forum for policy coordination among the Divisions as well as mobilization of grassroots efforts by ACNM's membership, ensuring that the College’s direct federal political action is both enthusiastic and effective
Recruits and supports state legislative contacts to mobilize affiliate leadership that will effectively support the national advocacy agenda; initiates and coordinates federal grassroots efforts
Targets specific legislators through their constituents in the states
Coordinates activities within the DAAS and with federal lobbyists and the ACNM Director of Government Affairs
Supports planning and implementation of advocacy activities at the Annual Meeting

Political Action Committee (PAC)
Chair: Claire Harper

Provides financial support of ACNM’s federal advocacy and legislative agenda
Conducts fundraising activities within ACNM; oversees distribution of PAC funds to federal legislative campaigns
Educates members about the political process; coordinates activities within the DAAS, and with the ACNM federal lobbyists and the ACNM Director of Government Affairs
Supports planning and implementation of advocacy activities at the Annual Meeting

State Government Affairs Committee (SGAC)
Chair: Julie Blumenfeld

Supports state affiliates to conduct state legislative and advocacy work
Develops relationships with state affiliate and legislative leaders
Coordinates activities within the DAAS and with the ACNM Director of Government Affairs
Supports planning and implementation of advocacy activities at the Annual Meeting

Division of Membership and Publications provides overall direction and facilitates the ACNM Membership and Publications functions by working with the chairs and members of the following committees: Clinical Standards and Documents, Diversity and Inclusion, Membership and Marketing, Midwives of Color, Publications, and Students and New Midwives.

Chair: Miri Levi

Clinical Standards and Documents Committee (CSDC)
Chair: Kari Radoff

Develops clinical practice standards and documents; conducts regular review and revision of clinical practice standards and documents
Identifies and collaborates with other organizations that provide women’s health and primary care

Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging Committee (DEIB)
Chair: Angy Nixon

Establishes and coordinates the functioning of Bias Incident Transparency and Healing (BIRTH) Team, an on-call D&I volunteer team offering rapid response to bias incidents in real time during ACNM Annual Meetings
Assists ACNM in developed policy pertaining to D&I issues
Facilitates communication [shared language], data collection, and analysis concerning D&I issues within ACNM

Membership and Marketing Committee (M&M)
Chair: Melanie Cabezas Phipps

Seeks opportunities to enhance the overall member experience
Establishes membership priorities and set goals for membership expansion
Collaborates with other committees when input is needed about membership, membership recruitment and retention, and in marketing the value of membership to midwives

Midwives of Color Committee (MOCC)
Chair: Carolyn Curtis

Recruits, retains, and supports the advancement of persons of diverse ethnic/cultural backgrounds to the profession of midwifery
Provides educational information to the ACNM membership that promotes respect for cultural variations
Acts as a resource to ACNM leadership to promote and increase equity for midwives and students of color in ACNM
Aims to reduce inequities and disparities in maternal child health through the midwifery profession

Publications Committee (PC)
Chair: Eva Fried

Identifies content gaps or topics worthy of publishing, evaluates and prioritizes proposed projects, and helps maintain an annual publishing schedule
Monitors the publishing environment, stays abreast of industry publications, and dialogues with fellow members to generate recommendations on topics for ACNM publications
Reviews annual sales reports to make recommendations on the retirement and revision of publications
Makes recommendations for streamlining publications’ operations and marketing and enhancing the value of ACNM publications to members

Students and New Midwives Committee (SANMC)
Co-Chairs: Erin Morelli and Denise Gonzalez

Eases the transition from student to new midwife during the first five (5) years of practice via online/virtual support, publications, mentorship program, liaisons to educational programs, and in-person events at the Annual Meeting

Division of Organizational Capacity promotes the recognition of ACNM's role as a leader in women’s health, reproductive health, and midwifery and ensures ACNM has the resources necessary to support a high functioning organization. The Division also provides internal resources to the ACNM volunteer structure to ensure volunteers can carry out ACNM strategic goals and initiatives.

Chair: Danielle Molinar

History & Archives Committee
Chair: Winifred Connerton

Coordinates between the Board and the National Library of Medicine in the maintenance of the College’s archives
Organizes the recording of the midwifery profession’s historical narrative including the oral histories of ACNM members
Maintains a list of midwifery history sources; works with the affiliates to help preserve midwifery history at the local level

Bylaws Committee (BC)
Chair: Alexandra Michel

Reviews and makes recommendations to proposed changes to ACNM and ACNM affiliate Bylaws and to Standing Rules of Procedure (SROPs) within the volunteer structure

Ethics Committee (EC)
Chair: Stephanie Tillman

Upholds ACNM’s responsiveness to the ethical dimensions of the midwifery profession

Leadership Development Committee (LDC)
Chair: Denise Smith

Provides expertise and advice to the College as it relates to the development of volunteer leaders
Develops and executes orientation plans for new volunteer leaders
Aims to maintain a diverse and inclusive leadership team comprised of representatives of differing ethnic, cultural, and gender backgrounds

Division of Global Engagement promotes the interests and expertise of ACNM members across the world. The Division actively promotes the understanding of the reciprocal benefits of working with diverse communities on a global level through the exchange of information and by increasing knowledge about midwifery. The ACNM DGE comprises of active and involved ACNM member volunteers who, as global citizens, encourage the diffusion of midwifery expertise to improve both midwifery workforce capacity and the quality of health care systems for women and their families worldwide.

In partnership with ACNM, the DGE also offers venues for sharing global health and midwifery information, and extensive research used to expand the number of ACNM members participating in global projects. DGE is active in the intercontinental exchange of information and provides the necessary support to international midwives who wish to attend the Annual Meeting.

DGE further maintains effective and up-to-date communications to engage, educate, and connect ACNM members interested in global midwifery through networking, research, education, communication, and guidance on global health competencies.

Chair: Christina Marea

Education Committee (EC)
Chair: Nicole Warren

Aids in enabling personalized learning for ACNM members interested in global health professions
Shares educational resources with groups or organizations working in global health
Works to improve outcomes for women and their families through midwives who appreciate the value of a culturally respectful practice

Networking Committee (NC)
Chair: Katie Millar

Facilitates communication among ACNM members through networking events and sharing of resources to establish individual group and organizational connections that foster their personal development in and knowledge of global and refugee health
Shares and promotes best practices for ACNM members working in global and refugee health

Program Planning Committee (PPC)
Chair: Mara Evans

Organizes and hosts the DGE Reception & Silent Auction for ACNM members and guests at the ACNM Annual Meeting
Organizes other global health content for ACNM meetings
Leads and coordinates DGE-supported fundraising for the Bonnie Westenberg Pedersen International Midwife Award
Participates in the recruitment, selection, and hosting of the Pedersen awardee.

Division of Advancement of Midwifery

Chair: Suzan Ulrich

The Practice Advancement Sub-Division strengthens the profession of midwifery in the United States by assisting midwives in establishing Boards of Midwifery, supporting midwifery as a distinct profession embracing diverse backgrounds, and encouraging more individuals to attain CNM/CM credentials.

Business Committee (BC)
Chair: Carla Morrow

Provides expertise and advice to ACNM on business issues that impact midwifery
Supplies expertise and representation on the Midwifery Works Planning Committee as well as the Annual Meeting’s business track
Monitors and responds to business related inquiries posted by members on ACNM Connect
Reviews and revises the Getting Paid manual as needed
Identifies potential business experts to serve as advisors on behalf of ACNM

Clinical Practice & Health Care Systems Committee
Chair: Kimberly Trout

Communicating the value of midwifery-led care to those who are in a position to create change and make the midwifery model of care more accessible in hospitals in the US.

* Ultrasound Education Subcommittee (A Subcommittee of Clinical Practice & Health Care Systems Committee)
Chair: Kristen Ostrem

Develops didactic and clinical ultrasound education opportunities for midwives
Facilitates coordination between the Board and membership from national organizations that include midwifery providers with the distinct scope of ultrasound use for midwifery practice, for the purpose of developing standards of practice

Home and Birth Center Committee (HBCC)
Chair: Paula Halaby

Identifies, develops, and updates the ACNM educational and professional resources (Evidence-based Practice (EBP) guidelines, handbook, sample documents, literature, suggested curricula, and data collection tools) specific to home birth and birth center standards and practice
Monitors national and state issues and social trends related to Home and Birth Center standards
Represents ACNM among other home birth and birth center midwifery organizations
Supports ACNM staff in providing consultations and referrals and/or resources to CNMs/CMs
Provides a professional forum, consulting, mentoring and referral service

Professional Liability Committee (PLC)
Chair: Erin Farah

Monitors matters related to midwifery liability, malpractice insurance, and litigation
Conducts the National Midwives and Liability Survey every 5 years
Contributes liability related education and resources to membership

Quality and Safety Committee (QSC)
Chair: Cathy Emeis

Works to advance, support, and showcase the high-quality midwifery care practiced by ACNM members
Collaborates with ACNM to facilitate ACNM representation or input on inter-professional committees and task forces that aim to improve the quality and safety of maternal, neonatal, and women’s health care
Oversees the Benchmarking Project, an annual submission of selected metrics to showcase midwifery processes

Education Advancement Subdivision establishes and updates educational resources for student midwives, determining the activities that classify competency in midwifery and developing criteria that allow an individual to demonstrate such competency. The Subdivision furthermore delineates and implements the process for practicing midwives to remain up-to-date in skills and information.

Clinical and Academic Educators Committee (CAEC)
Chair: Amy Nacht

Supports professional development, encourages innovation, and stimulates networking among midwifery educators, medical students, residents, and nursing, and midwifery students

Committee for Advancement of Midwifery Education (CAME)
Co-Chairs: Ronnie Litchman, Pat Burqhardt, Mairi Rothman

Aims to strengthen the education of current, new, and student midwives to increase the number of practicing midwives in the United States
Supports the work of the Core Competency Subcommittee

Continuing Education Committee (CEC)
Chair: Victoria Burslem

Reviews all program applications to ACNM for Continuing Education (CE), including the ACNM Annual Meeting, Midwifery Works, and Journal for Midwifery and Women’s Health

Program Committee (PC)
Co-Chair: Happy Barnes

Co-Chair: Mary Kay Miller

Plans, coordinates, and evaluates the educational content of the ACNM Annual Meeting
Conducts the Annual Business Meeting, which involves the collaborative efforts of the Board, ACNM staff, contracted meeting partners, committee members, and vendors

Division of Research advances the profession of midwifery by promoting the development, dissemination, and implementation of research. DOR coordinates research activities within ACNM, as well as with other national and international midwifery research organizations.

The DOR aspires to indoctrinate a continuously evolving midwifery research agenda that reflects pertinent and contemporary strategic priorities. DOR members conduct research that addresses the direct needs of the profession and also encourages, facilitates, and coordinates the research of others.

The Division further nurtures the research interests and abilities of ACNM members, fostering communication among midwifery researchers, clinicians, the media, policymakers, health planners, and funders. The DOR advises the ACNM about research issues including membership surveys, research priorities, and evaluation of research proposals that require ACNM endorsement or support.

Chair: Elise Erickson

Data and Information Management Committee (DIMC)
Chair: Ellen Tilden

Encourages the systematic collection of data for midwifery practice and education; assists with the ACNM membership data collection
Continues the development and refinement of data collection about midwifery practice and education, including the use of minimum data sets
Supports the use of technology in the collection of midwifery data by members
Encourages the development of Practice Based Research Networks (PBRN).
Serves as advisors to the Membership Survey (annually and as needed)

Global Research Committee (GRC)
Chair: Nicole Warren

Communicates relevant information of the DGE to the DOR
Solicits and reviews global health abstracts for the ACNM Annual Meeting
Coordinates review and selection of Global Health Research Award recipients in coordination with DOR

Research Networking Committee (RNC)
Chair: Karen Robinson

Maintains the DOR membership and leadership roster
Plans and facilitates networking opportunities for researchers and ACNM members interested in research

Research Dissemination Committee (RDC)
Co-Chairs: Jenna Loguidice and Gina Novick

Promotes the maintenance of a research culture within the ACNM
Coordinates Division of Research activities at the Annual Meeting, including abstract review and judging
Supports specific activities to assist members to use research and evidence-based care in clinical practice
Serves as liaison for the Program Committee; promotes and facilitates research presentations and posters at the ACNM Annual Meeting

Research Survey Committee (RSC)
Chair: Karen Trister Grace

Reviews all requests from researchers and marketers who wish to use ACNM members as participants in their research

Workforce Committee (WC)
Chair: Kate Woeber

Fosters data collection and supports state and national policy dialogue on the CNM/CM workforce

Task Forces
Task Forces are ACNM member groups established to accomplish very specific and defined activities or projects under the auspices of a specific committee. These groups generally report directly to their respective overseeing committee.

Gender Equity Task Force
Chair: Jennifer Demma

Investigates simulation, didactic material, clinical experiences, and areas for curricular sharing that can be incorporated into student midwives’ and obstetrical residents’ educations

Perinatal Mental Health Task Force
Chair: Sara Gilbe

Addresses issues related to perinatal mental health that can negatively impact childbearing women and their families

Bullying in Midwifery Task Force
Chairs: Anna Hanson and Letitia Sullivan

Addresses issues and develops solutions related to bullying in ACNM and the Midwifery industry as a whole

Rasicm in Midwifery Education Task Force
Chairs: Jessica Anderson, Nichole Wardlaw, Bridget Howard, and Cara Krulewitch

Investigate issues related to implicit and explicit bias within midwifery education and develop a toolkit to address these issues.

Caucuses
Caucuses aim to provide fellowship, support, and networking opportunities on topics related to the practice of midwifery.

Black Midwives for Reproductive Justice and Birth Equity
Chair: Michelle Drew

The ACNM Caucus of Black Midwives for Reproductive Justice and Birth Equity is the collective space for Black midwives and student midwives working to achieve justice and equity for Black women and people capable of pregnancy and Black people in the current and future midwifery workforce to work collaboratively to advance local, state, and national policy and action that achieve those goals. We operate under the principles of Sankofa, honoring the elders and ancestors that have cared for our communities and working to rebuild the Black midwifery workforce, and Ubuntu, collective work and interdependence on one another to uplift, honor and advance the critical importance of the Black midwife as a central figure in health knowledge and caring in Black communities.

Disaster Preparedness and Response Caucus
Chairs: Karen Hays & Robert Prepas

Supports ACNM members’ desire to participate in disaster preparedness and response activities by assuring professionalism, coordination, and accountability

Friends of Midwives of Color Committee and Ethnic Diversity Caucus
Chair: Vacant

Promotes and increases ethnic diversity among midwives
Assists the Midwives of Color Committee

Medical Education Caucus
Chair: Leilani Mason

Promotes the role of midwives in the field through medical education that encourages normal pregnancy and birth in a woman-centered philosophy.

Midwifery Business Network Caucus
Chair: Christie Bryant

Examines the business needs of the ACNM membership

Midwifery History Caucus
Chair: Karen McGee

This History Caucus is a forum open to members of all ages who are passionate about collecting and archiving the stories of our esteemed midwife predecessors (65+) and keeping senior midwives involved in ACNM.
Our interviews are archived, and are available to all, at the Frontier Nursing University Library: Frontier.libguides.com/digitaldepot

here

Guidelines for Interview

here

Midwives in Support of Life Caucus
Chair: Vacant

Serves as a forum to exchange information on delivering better access to care for mothers and their newborns while also providing resources to promote how midwife-led care reduces or eliminates the need for interventions, decreases infant mortality rates, and lowers rates of cesarean birth

Midwives Teaching Nurses Caucus
Chair: Erin Morelli

Shares best practices, recommended texts, and other teaching tips for midwives who instruct undergraduate nurses
Presents at the Annual Meeting, highlighting the importance of the professional role of midwives

Native American Caucus

Serves as a resource for members interested in the work of midwives in Indian Country or Alaska, or in the health and well-being of Native American women and mothers

Public Health Caucus

Serves as a forum for midwives with public health backgrounds or relevant interests to connect, exchange ideas, affect policy, and promote the education of the general membership on issues including interpersonal violence, STD screening/treatment, care of the HIV-infected woman, and other diverse public health topics

Reproductive Health and Abortion Caucus
Chair: Amy Levi

Aims to advocate on individuals’ complete autonomy over their reproductive health and the vital role access to comprehensive reproductive and sexual health plays in reducing health and economic disparities
Serves as a resource to support ACNM midwife members in advocating to keep abortion access unconditionally safe and legal

Midwives for Universal Health Care Caucus
Chair: Keely Robinson

Promotes through education, advocacy, and community engagement, the need for high-quality universal health care that results in improved health outcomes and where midwifery is integral to the care of women

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