Academy Committees

Advocacy Committee
GOALS:
To provide education and resources to promote increased knowledge and awareness for participation in advocacy
activities that enhance rehabilitation healthcare and the lives of individuals with SCI/D.

Chair: Jeff Berliner (APS)
BOD Liaison: Becky Thayer (SCIN)

Patty Arenth (PSWC), Marguerite David (PSWC), Sigmund Hough (PSWC), Kathy Hulse (PSWC), Julie Jennings (TLC), Radha Koropulu (APS), Todd Linsenmeyer (APS), Lisa Ottomanelli (PSWC), Emily Potter (TLC), Laura Tuck (PSWC)


Clinical Practice Committee
GOALS:

  1. To unite SCI/D professionals for the promotion of interdisciplinary clinical practice of SCI/D care.
  2. To identify and assess clinical practice trends related to SCI/D professionals.
  3. To recommend and implement strategies to promote quality of care for individuals with SCI/D.

Chair:  Theresa Berner (TLC), Amy Samora (TLC)
BOD Liaison:  Joan McMahon (SCIN)

Michael Pramuka (PSWC), Jackie Wondolowski (PSWC), Tammy Abbott-Thiel (PSWC), Lauren Delulio (TLC), Janet Dean (SCIN), Deborah Crane (APS), Jesse Lieberman (APS)


Early Career and Trainee Support Committee (ECATS)

GOALS: 

  1. Address the unique professional needs of students, trainees, and early career members within ASCIP membership.
  2. Identify student, trainee, and early career issues and needs in regard to the Academy’s growth and development.
  3. Provide networking opportunities with peers and experienced professionals within the organization.
  4. Increase student, trainee, and early career membership participation and awareness of relevant topics.
  5. Promote learning opportunities that emphasize the interdisciplinary nature and diversity of SCI/D care and research.
  6. Promote professional development and leadership capacity through participation in ASCIP committees, mentorship opportunites, and engagement with senior ASCIP members.
  7. Provide opportunities for students, trainees, and early career members to attend and participate in ASCIP’s annual conference.


Chair: James Wilson (APS), Rachel Meredith Hibbs (TLC)
BOD Liaison: Laura Rice (SCIN)

Rachel Hessen (TLC), Jennifer Irish (PSWC), Carolyn Campbell (APS), Samantha Harfenist (PSWC), Daniela Illescu (APS), Christie Paulter Krull (APS), Matthew Sorenson (SCIN), Linda Ehrlich-Jones (SCIN)

 

Electronic Communication Committee

GOALS:
To promote the development, implementation and utilization of electronics communication as an effective means of support for ASCIP GB, Committees, Sections, and membership.

Chair: Jillian Walker MS, OTRL, ATP Pronouns: she/her/hers (TLC)

BOD Liaison: Lisa Ottomanelli Slone (PSWC)

Alex Chesney OTR, ATP/SMS Pronouns: she (TLC)

Toby Huston Pronouns: he/him (PSWC)


Joan McMahon (SCIN)


David McMillan (APS)

Finance Committee

GOALS:

  1. Provide oversight and guidance to the GB regarding finances of ASCIP, assuring that proper procedures are followed
    with regard to receipt of funds, banking, investment of funds, and disbursements.
  2. Inform the GB of the resources available for ASCIP activities by preparing an annual budget, and
  3. Directly or indirectly assist in fund raising activiries, along with the Management Agent, by functioning as a resource
    to members

Chair: Nancy Lokey, RN (SCIN)
BOD Liaison:  Joan McMahon (PSWC)

Brad Dexter (TLC), Erica Johnsen-Buss (PSWC), Kristi Henzel (APS), Tammy Abbot Thiel (PSWC), Felicia Skelton (APS)

 

Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Access Committee (IDEA)

GOALS:

Awareness and education related to Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Access in supporting ASCIP’s activities, operation, policies, communications, services and products.

A culture where Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Access are understood, respected and intentionally applied through meaningful, practical and pioneering strategies that can serve as a role-model.

Develop a culture where Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Access are understood, respected and intentionally applied through meaningful, practical and pioneering strategies that can serve as a role-model to enhance opportunities for learning and self-growth globally for all citizens and our communities.

Click here to view the IDEA webpage


Chair: Sigmund Hough Ph.D., ABPP/rp, Pronouns: he/him/his (PSWC)


BOD Liaison: Trisha Hicks, LSW, MEd., Pronouns: she/her (PSWC)

Ellia Ciammaichella DO, JD Pronouns: she/her (APS)

Samantha Harfenist Psy.D, Pronouns: she/her (PSWC)


Jeffrey Jaramillo MS, DPT, Pronouns: he/him/his (TLC)


Katharine Tam MD, Pronouns: she/her/hers (APS)


Florian Thomas MD, Ph.D, Pronouns: he/him (APS)


 Jillian Walker MS, OTRL, ATP Pronouns: she/her/hers (TLC)

Membership Committee

GOALS:

  1. Identify the community of professionals working and have an interest in the field of spinal cord injury/diseases. Involvement in the field of SCI/D can occur in any setting, including direct care, supervision, administration, research, education, health policy, etc.
  2. Expand the membership of ASCIP.
  3. Review membership requirements periodically and recommend revisions to the GB.
  4. Respond to member concerns.

Chair: Erin Brown (TLC)
BOD Liaison:  Joe Fangman (TLC)

Jackie Wondolowski (PSWC), Jane Mitchell (SCIN), Jeanette Elias (SCIN), Sara Waid, Elizabeth Kratochvil, Alice Hon, Miriam Mian

Program Committee

GOALS:

To advance spinal cord health care, promote educational opportunities for SCI/D professionals, provide a forum for
networking, improve access to quality health care, disseminate information and encourage SCI/D-related research. Continuing education is an essential component of professional development, the purposes of which are to:

  1. Promote professional growth
  2. Improve quality of care by expanding clinical knowledge, skills and attitudes
  3. Ensure optimum patient outcomes by improving clinical performance, diagnostic skills and analytic resources.
  4. Encourage the continued competency and expertise of clinicians
  5. Advance the effectiveness and safety of patient care
  6. Provide accountability in the field of SCI/D health care, its practitioners, patients and the public; maintain knowledge of advances in spinal cord injury research
  7. Facilitate implementation of research in the clinical arena

Chair and BOD Liaison: Laura Wehrli (SCIN)

Scott McDonald (PSWC), Matthew Sorenson (SCIN), Herb Ames (PSWC), Lisa Beck (SCIN), Trevor Dyson-Hudson (APS), Elaine Rogers (TLC), Randy Huzinec (TLC), Rafferty Laredo (TLC), Wes Chay (APS), Daniela Iliescu (APS)

Research Committee

GOALS:

  1. Promote submission of the highest quality of research-based presentations at the ASCIP Annual Conference
  2. Promote submission of SCI/D related research in the JSCM by all the sections
  3. Provide networking opportunities to membership to facilitate development of research ideas, and the dissemination of research findings to the larger SCI/D professional community
  4. Provide membership with information on valuable resources in research (grants, funding, collaborations, e.g.)
  5. Support research efforts for early career and trainees in SCI/D health care

Chair: Kimberly Monden (PSWC)
BOD Liaison:  Jenny Kiratli

Chris Cirnigliaro (APS), Linda S. Ehrlich-Jones (SCIN), Megan Gill (TLC), Radha Korupolu (APS), Angela Philippus (Student), Shaun Smith (PSWC), Linda Schultz (SCIN), Katherine Nedley (TLC), Susan Newman (SCIN), Rafer Willenberg (APS)