This is my final blog as North Carolina’s Coordinating Body (CB) Chair. Can it be? Have I really been in this volunteer role for 4 years? Time flies when you are having fun, right? We’ve been through a lot with the transition from chapters to the State CB Model with Local Networking Groups (LNGs). We lost a couple of chapters to this transition, but the 3 that made the transition have been great at creating programs of interest and educational opportunities for their members. And we have had some wonderful leaders step out of these LNGs to help at the state level and without them, I don’t believe that North Carolina would be as strong of a state of and for Diabetes Educators as it is.
Over by Charlotte is the Metrolina Association of Diabetes Educators (MADE) and from there, the CB has had 3 great leaders. Kathy Jackson has been in the role of MADE chair for the past couple of years and will be continuing this role throughout the next year. To help with transitions on the CB, the chairs of the LNGs tend to change on the opposite years of the CB Leads. MADE has a wonderful day of education that they help co-sponsor with UNC-Charlotte’s School of Nursing and AHEC. Next is Beth Silvers who has been volunteering in the Advocacy Lead role for the past 4 years and is leaving this position as well (term limits and all). Beth has been an advocate for people with diabetes (PWD) ever since becoming one herself over 50 years ago and with her dad, fighting for diabetes camp. She is passionate about talking to our legislators and helping them understand the needs of PWD and how their legislation can help or hinder their constituents. Beth has done a wonderful job keeping all of us informed about crucial times to contact our elected officials and being a go between NC and AADE’s Advocacy Team. And lastly from MADE is Joanne Rinker. Joanne has been keeping the money straight while serving as our financial lead for the past 4 years. She will be in her 2nd year on the AADE National Board next year and is serving as a mentor for new board members. Joanne has also been instrumental in helping us set up for some CB sponsored webinars coming soon in 2016. And, with a recent move to a gorgeous part of NC out near Asheville, I’m hoping that the missing chapter out there may decide to give this LNG thing a try with a little help from Jo.
The middle of the state is where the Research Triangle Association of Diabetes Educators (ReTRADE) resides. And again, we have 3 current volunteers serving on the CB. Marilyn Novosel has been the chair with ReTRADE for the last couple of years, and prior to that was our state’s Membership Lead. Next year she really wanted to tackle the Advocacy Lead that Beth is leaving. Marilyn is very excited for this new role and was able to attend the Advocacy conference in Washington with Beth last year to help her transition. Shana Bare has been in the role of Technology Lead for the past 2 years and is willing to continue her volunteering role there for the next 2 years. Shana has been great. She learned the My AADE Network system, keeps our calendar up to date to help all NC Educators know of educational opportunities, and she is a wiz at creating sign-ups for events both virtual and in person. Look for more from Shana when we announce our first CB sponsored Webinar in 2016. And finally from ReTRADE is Michelle Mielke. Michelle has served at the Membership Lead for the last 2 years, welcoming in our new members, reaching out to members who may have decided to leave AADE. Michelle will continue to serve on the CB, but is moving to the role of LNG Chair for ReTRADE.
And out here on the coast is Coastal Carolina Association of Diabetes Educators (CCADE). From CCADE, the state’s CB has had 2 volunteers, me and Sandra Midyette. Sandra has been serving on the CB for a few years, first as CCADE’s chair and most recently and continuing on as the Education Lead. Sandra is great at finding educational opportunities to send to Shana for the state’s calendar. She has also been chairing CCADE’s annual Diabetes Education Conference each March that is co-sponsored with Eastern AHEC. And with the webinars coming this year, Sandra will be busy working with AADE on the continuing education credits for everyone as well as our awesome speakers.
Next year there will be some new names on this list. Melanie Batchelor, who lives in the western part of the state and is currently without an LNG, will be taking on the role of Membership Lead. We are still looking for a Financial Lead (gateway volunteer role, I tell you) if you are interested. And lastly, as I have hit my term limit of volunteering as chair, the chair for the next 2 years will be Mindy Saenz from CCADE. Mindy has served as chair of CCADE in the past and I love her leadership style. She will be such an asset on the Coordinating Body.
As I step out of this role, know I won’t be far. I will become the immediate past chair to be able to help Mindy with the transition in the chair role. And thanks to you all and the AADE membership, I will be assuming my new role as Members Affiliate Liaison to the Board of Directors for AADE. My husband likes to call it the “union rep” position, which I suppose is somewhat true. I am honored to serve a voice for the membership to the board and the wonderful people at the National Office (without whom our COIs, CBs, and LNGs could not run as smoothly as they do) as I hope I have while also serving on the Members Affiliates Council along with Marilyn and a few other this past year. I will also continue to serve on the Diabetes Advisory Council (DAC) for the state of North Carolina as an AADE representative and report back to the CB with any news and bring any of our concerns to the DAC.
Our transition to the CB and LNG model has been great over the past 4 years. I am confident that NC will continue to grow. I look into 2016 with the knowledge of giving back to our state members with CB sponsored webinars. I see the potential to create a new LNG in the western part of the state and can't wait to see what our new volunteer leaders will add to the CB.
Keep in touch and I hope to see many of you in March at CCADE’s conference and then perhaps in San Diego at AADE16!
Fondly,
Chris Memering