How to Join an ICEA Committee
by Jessie Prim
Do you have children? If so, do you remember what it was like, as a young mother or father-to-be, to prepare for the birth of your child? Do you remember the challenges of parenting a newborn baby? If so, or even if none of that applies to you, we. Need. YOU! Every member of ICEA is unique and brings a special skill set to the ICEA community. Your involvement on a committee promotes how we can effectively meet each other’s needs as we present evidence-based classes, doula work, and postpartum doula work.
Who We Are
We are a group of volunteers who are passionate about our cause and have the skills and experience needed to contribute effectively to each committee. We encourage a variety of people with different backgrounds, skills, and experiences to join a committee. Diversity in ages, worldviews, gender, race, and ethnicity give us of a variety of perspectives and ideas to glean from.
Hello, I am Jessie Prim, and I have served as the Co-Director of Education for ICEA for several years. I have learned so much from the leaders of ICEA which, in turn, has made me a better childbirth educator and doula. My clients appreciate the knowledge and care I bring to them, which has been directly inspired by the members of this organization. Everyone working together for the common purpose of helping our families on their journey of life has such a huge impact! You are significant! Please know that. We have a number of committees that you could bring your expertise to as you help our organization to grow, not just in numbers, but in our knowledge base and influence as well.
What is a committee and how could you help?
A committee in our organization is a group of people that have a passion for a common interest, and who set realistic and practical goals to help better educate and communicate within our organization. We want to collaborate on how we can grow in our own skill sets, as well as reach out to those outside of our organization and welcome them into ICEA as well. Being a member of a committee can take as much time as you would like/are able to put into it. I realize you are all busy, many of you are married with children, have full or part-time jobs, volunteer at other places, and some may be retired. But we could use whatever time you are willing to offer. Below I have included a list of committees that we have; I would encourage you to read through them and determine what would be the best fit for you and your schedule:
Conference and Webinar Committee
This group selects future conference sites as well as recruit speakers for conferences and webinars. They recruit advertisers and sponsors in partnership with the Marketing Committee as they review contracts with speakers, hotels, and advertisers. They do this in partnership with the president, president elect, and management company in order to bring these conferences and webinars to fruition. This committee is also responsible for follow-ups such as thank-you notes and evaluations of conference and webinar speakers and sponsors.
Education Committee
The members of this group keep each program updated. Periodically, they will review the certification process to ensure that each program reflects current research and cultural competency. This committee is also responsible for developing new programs whose content is relevant to the childbearing year (pregnancy, birth, and the postpartum period). Lastly, this committee responds to any requests for policy exceptions to education programs.
Marketing Committee
This committee presents ICEA marketing ideas to other organizations and to others within the membership. They work closely with the Conference and Webinar Committee to recruit sponsors and advertisers for the conferences, webinars, and other meetings related to ICEA meetings. Members of this group are to provide advertisers for upcoming ICEA publications.
Finally, they oversee the creation of newsletters and are in charge of running our social media accounts, the ICEA website and blog, as well as the presentation/creation of awards.
Public Policy/Communications Committee
This group monitors statements and policies published by other organizations such as ACOG, AWHONN, Lamaze International, DONA International, ILCA, PSI, APPPAH, which would directly affect the overall climate and culture of pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding, and infant parenting. The committee summarizes how other policies compare to the mission and vision of ICEA. They will be expected to prepare a statement of public response to those policies when appropriate. The last responsibility for this committee is to present our annual budget to the Finance Committee for the upcoming year.
Scholarship Committee
This committee, chaired by the Treasurer, will create a rubric by which they will evaluate all scholarship applications. They will set timelines for applications and scholarships awards.
Next Steps:
Now that you have an idea of the responsibilities for each of our highly valued committees, I would ask that you please consider which one that you would be willing to join. Please let our administrative office at director@icea.org to let us know which committee you’d like to be a part of. Upon receiving your email, someone from our office will contact the director of that committee who will then reach out to you with information on how you can get involved. Thank you for everything you already do for not only ICEA, but the families you are walking through this season of life with as well.
