DESIRE TO INSPIREDESIRE TO INSPIRE

Strategic Planning Work Group Presentations:

Progress to Date and The Way Forward

June 30, 2008

A Desire to InspireA Desire to Inspire

• 2007 Strategic Planning Meeting– Create deeper connections with members that

speak to their individual passion for teratology– Define the role of the Teratology Society today

and its relationship with other sectors and organizations to enhance our science, education/training and a better appreciation of our field.

– Revisit the Society’s mission, vision, and goals to develop a realistic action plan to carry out recommended strategies.

– Three areas of focus• scientific excellence and leadership, • membership recruitment and retention• outreach and partnership.

Membership

Communications

Strategic IntentsStrategic Intents

Annual Meeting

Shared Scientifi

c Identity

Visibility

Shared Scientific Identity

• Last year the Work Groups committed to– Identify high value deliverables or outputs for

each Strategic Intent• Prioritize the outputs• Institute those that were immediately possible

– Develop recommendations for organizational changes in the Society that would facilitate accomplishment of the Strategic Intent

– Establish timelines, deliverables, and metrics for measuring success for each output leading to accomplishment of the Strategic Intent

• Communication

• Each WG identified top 3 priorities and outlined recommended actions

• Steps were taken this year towards the strategic intents

• WG are developing plan for year 2

Membership• Barbara Abbott, co-chair• Kok-Wah Hew, co-chair• Robert Brent• Harpal Buttar• Thomas F. X. Collins• Robert Ellis-Hutchings• Maia Green• Susan Henwood• Gary Kimmel• Debra L. Kirchner• Phil Mirkes• Josh Robinson• James L. Schardein• Donald Stump• Ida M. Washington

Top Priorities: Membership Work GroupTop Priorities: Membership Work Group

• Engaging Members in Society

• Retention of existing members

• Outreach and recruitment

Top Priorities: Membership Work GroupTop Priorities: Membership Work Group

• Engaging Members in Society– Participation in committees – inclusive and open process– Communication plan/database for members who want to serve– Committee membership composition

• Appointments to include senior, newer, and student member• Retention of existing members

– Inclusion on committees/mentoring opportunities– Recommend demographic analysis regarding senior & emeritus

members – Actions to address retention/participation of senior members

• Outreach and recruitment – Sponsor programs/CE courses with other societies– Increase visibility of Teratology Society and attract new members– Establish a separate Outreach Committee?

Progress: Membership Work GroupProgress: Membership Work Group• Recommendation: Expand responsibilities

of Membership Committee:– Increase Committee from 3 to 6 members – Review membership applications– Review demographic information– Make recommendations to Council

• Actions regarding retention/attraction of members

• Maintain list of members interested in committees & Society activities

• Make recommendations to Council regarding emeritus membership

Bylaws Bylaws Change !Change !

Annual Meeting• Sonja Rasmussen - co-

chair• Christina Chambers -

co-chair• Melissa Beck Melissa Beck • Judy Buelke-Sam Judy Buelke-Sam • Karen Filkins Karen Filkins • Julia Gohlke Julia Gohlke • Poorni IyerPoorni Iyer • Linda Roberts Linda Roberts • Dana ShueyDana Shuey

Top Priorities: Annual Meeting Work GroupTop Priorities: Annual Meeting Work Group

• Develop process for 3 sister societies to coordinate meeting plans– start early – Coordinate content and finances– More interaction

• Organize meeting sessions including education courses around multi-disciplinary themes; offer CME credits; shorten meeting; evening specialty sessions

• Engage outside speakers into meeting and Society with formalized integrative activities with students/Society members

• Member survey regarding annual meeting

Progress: Annual Meeting Work GroupProgress: Annual Meeting Work Group

• “Steering committee” established March 2008 involving 3 sister societies for 2009 planning

• Multi-disciplinary themes integrated into meeting plans 2008/2009; CME credits offered 2008; meeting shortened by 1 day; evening specialty sessions offered 2008

• Member survey developed to follow 2008 meeting

VisibilityJanine Polifka, co-chairMelissa Tassinari, co-chairPatte Bittner Elaine FrancisDeborah Hansen Wafa HarroukRobert Kavlock Carole KimmelRichard Miller Michael O'HaraLinda Roberts Lakshmi

SivaramanCarmen Umpierre Mary Alice SmithEias Zahalka

• Revamp the Website

• Partner with national birth defects prevention awareness campaigns

• Student Training/Embryology Courses

Top Top Priorities: Visibility Working Priorities: Visibility Working GroupGroup

Revamp the Website

• Endorsement of website committee achievements Partner with national birth defects prevention

awareness campaigns• CDC, NCBDDD, MOD, NBDPN• January is National Birth Defects Prevention Month

Student Training/Embryology Courses• Teratology Primer• Outside vendors that develop training materials• Partner with Teratogen Information Services (OTIS)

Top Top Priorities: Visibility Working Priorities: Visibility Working GroupGroup

A proposal for broadening role of the Public Affairs Committee:– Sponsor a symposium– Develop materials and prepared talks regarding Society

activities– Develop position papers for publication in professional

journals– Organize annual outreach activities, such as satellite FASD

workshops– Develop publications for lay press and general science

journals – Recommend ‘experts’, when requested by various groups – Respond to inquiries– Identify a TS spokesperson and develop a media

release writing and distribution system

Progress: Visibility Working GroupProgress: Visibility Working Group

Recommend that a task force or ad hoc group be appointed to review and advise action on:

• Our “Identity” – Enhancement of interactions with NBTS

and OTIS– Revisiting the “branding” of the Society

• Sponsorship of a Congressional Fellowship Program

Recommendation: Visibility Working Recommendation: Visibility Working GroupGroup

Shared Scientific Identity

• Elaine Faustman - co-chair• Shelley Tyl - co-chair• Michael Collins • Tom Knudsen• J. Christopher States • Patte Bittner• Peter G. Wells• Richard J. Burk Jr. • Poorni Iyer• Kenneth Lyons Jones • Barbara Hales • Claudia Kappen Different faces of our society

working towards a common goal!

• Refine the Strategic Intent Statement

• Develop a statement describing our shared scientific identity

• Develop a series of actions, including working with the Program Committee, to emphasize our shared multidisciplinary scientific identity

Top Priorities: Shared Scientific Identity Working Top Priorities: Shared Scientific Identity Working GroupGroup

New Strategic Intent developed:– “A shared scientific identity has become integral and is

evident in the Society’s culture”

New description statement developed for the multi-disciplinary nature of our society/defining “shared scientific identity”:– “Our shared scientific identity is as researchers in the

causes, manifestations, intervention and prevention of birth defects, both structural and functional. As such, we are educators, epidemiologists, dysmorphologists, biologists, toxicologists and informaticists, focusing on translational developmental/reproductive biology from bench to bedside to bench.”

Progress: Shared Scientific Identity Working GroupProgress: Shared Scientific Identity Working Group

Proposed:– Series of white papers illustrate our society’s shared scientific

identity.– Reference list of manuscripts describing systems based approaches

for teratology. Add key examples of cross-disciplinary research papers.

– With Membership Committee, develop recruitment/outreach brochure emphasizing shared scientific identity

Possible Options:– WG develop a priority action plan– WG assume activities of Bioinformatics and Diversity ad hoc

committees– WG evolve into ad hoc Strategic Scientific Working group to identify

scientific priorities for “branding” our shared scientific identity• interaction with FASEB, granting agencies, other societies• goal of defining capitalizing on scientific identity for our members’ benefit

Recommendations: Shared Scientific Identity Working Group

Communications Work Group

Ed Carney - co-chairGeorge Daston - co-chairAmar SinghMarianne BarrierShigelhito Yamada

• Revamp the Website

• Improve strategies for communicating the work of TS committees

• Facilitate effective external communications to key audiences

Top Priorities: Communications Work Top Priorities: Communications Work GroupGroup

Revamp the Website• Improve navigation/appearance and clean up content• Restructure to better communicate work of Council and committees• Enhanced functionality – discussion forumsImprove strategies for communicating the work of TS committees• Foster culture change: communications via web are expectation• Identify communications liaison to website committee for Council and

committees. • Each group will “own” the content on the websiteFacilitate effective external communications to key audiences• Enhance public face of TS to show who we are and what teratologists

do • Add educational resources to website targeted to clinicians, scientists,

regulators, patients, families• Partner with Visibility WG and Publications committee

Top Priorities: Communications Work Top Priorities: Communications Work GroupGroup

• Test site has been createdTest site has been created (Come see at (Come see at Business Meeting!)Business Meeting!)

• Transfer/creation of content in progress

• Plan to be live in Fall, 2008

• Council/committee/WG pages on web have been restructured

• Standard content to be completed by 7/31/08

• Discussion forums functional by 12/15/08

Progress: Communications Work Progress: Communications Work GroupGroup

Membership

Communications

Working GroupsWorking Groups

Annual Meeting

Shared Scientifi

c Identity

Visibility

Shared Scientific Identity

A Desire to InspireA Desire to Inspire

• 2007 Strategic Planning Meeting– Create deeper connections with members that

speak to their individual passion for teratology– Define the role of the Teratology Society today

and its relationship with other sectors and organizations to enhance our science, education/training and a better appreciation of our field.

– Revisit the Society’s mission, vision, and goals to develop a realistic action plan to carry out recommended strategies.

– Three areas of focus• scientific excellence and leadership, • membership recruitment and retention• outreach and partnership.

• Are we missing something?

• What and how should we prioritize?

• Scientific Excellence and Leadership• Membership Recruitment and Retention• Outreach and Partnership.

•Scientific Excellence and LeadershipFacilitator: Elaine FaustmanRapporteur: Sonja

Rasmussen• Membership Recruitment and Retention

Facilitator: Robert ParkerRapporteur: Barbara

Abbott•Outreach and Partnership.

Facilitator: Ed CarneyRapporteur: Janine Polifka

Membership work diagram 2008

OUTPUTS• Recruitment program• Engagement program• Retention program

PROCESSES• Recruitment process• Engagement process• Retention process• Chartering/Bylaws process

INPUTS1.Recruitment inputs

A.Meeting attendeesB.AuthorsC.PresentersD.Lapsed members E.CE course and CME candidates

2.Engagement inputsA.Committee directoryB.Volunteer directory

3. Retention inputsCommittee composition/logisticsEmeritus membershipDemographic report

4. Membership committee charterResponsibilities

STRATEGIC INTENTCurrent & prospective members have been identified & engaged as active participants in the mission of the Teratology Society

FEEDBACKRecruitment report Member surveys Member suggestions Reports on member demographics, changesJournal submissions Engagement report Committee feedback Report on sources of new membersMembership renewal CME reqs Membership app $ Outreach demographic infoBudget reviews/audits Meeting attendance Abstract submissions Outreach ppts/ ads booth feedback

Other societies (competition) Funding (council for membership, sponsors/membership costs) Mergers & acquisitions in industry Job changes (turbulence)

Pool of candidates is changingCurrent members feeling disenfranchisedAging/retiring membershipChanging nature of scienceTravel restrictions

CONDITIONS

Annual Meeting Work Diagram

OUTPUTS• Annual meetings restructured

around multidisciplinarythemes

• Develop process for societies to work together to plan meetings

• Offer CME credits • Engage outside speakers into

meeting and Society • Organize poster session around

multidisciplinary themes• Rotate topics of the ed course

rotate through multidisciplinary themes

• Develop multidisciplinary, integrated daytime sessions Shorten meeting

• Schedule breakfast business meeting

• Offer evening specialty sessions• Conduct member survey about

meeting

PROCESSES•Program development process

– cross-representation & coordination btwn committees

–Ed. Course topic rotation–negotiation with committees responsible for sponsored sessions (eg. Wiley liss)

–restructure sessions/ poster around multi-disciplinary themes

– evening sessions• Budget development process (distribution of costs for sessions)• Abstract solicitation process (around mtg themes)• Location selection process – (duration and timeframe)

INPUTS• Annual meeting budgets – all 3 societies• Registration fee structure• Costs distribution for sessions• Meeting location – commitment for duration and structure• Reqs of some sponsored sessions (e.g. March of Dimes)

CONDITIONSRestructure travel funds for meetings Teratology and sister societies financial status Resistance to change and competing

agendas

STRATEGIC INTENTThe annual meeting

showcases the value of the

multidisciplinary nature of the Society

FEEDBACKAttendance by sector Report, new members Meeting evaluationsNew/ renewed memberships Press coverage # of CME credits grantedFinancial metrics Increased sponsorship – exhibits We can meet in the tier I cities

Visibility work diagram

OUTPUTS• Position papers• Publications in lay press and general science journals• Marketing collateral•Web site content• Presentations by members at various orgs• Congressional fellows program• Membership communications program• Alliances with other societies•Society discussion on whether to change name of society•Progress towards unification of 3 societies•Embryology courses•Mechanism for rapid response to issues and events•Partner with National Birth Defects Prevention Awareness Campaigns

PROCESSES• Charter revision process (for PAC) - membership (who, how #) - responsibilities - budget - ensure continuity - deliverables• Training development process•Media deployment process• Communication processes– internal & external• Process to appoint & support congressional fellows• Business planning process for each topic to be advocated – paper, talking points, spokespeople

INPUTS• Topic experts’ advice• ID Key decision makers• PAC strategy - consultant support - media guides• Content, talking pts, training – speakers guidance• Website committee strategy• Web structure– sections, links or available pages• List of media contacts• ID outreach person in prgm committee for annual mtg• Council support/approval for congressional fellows• Event calendar w/ who from TS is attending• Admin/ office support•Liaisons for other societies

CONDITIONSAbility of members to volunteer Conflict of interest Responsiveness of media Engagement of local Limitation of resources community

STRATEGIC INTENTThe Teratology

Society is recognized as the premier center of

scientific excellence & a voice for the advancement of

prenatal and child health

(reactive proactive)

FEEDBACK# of position papers/ presentations Hits on website Congressional fellows program Accomplishments # of emails & newsletters # of interactions with press Media responsiveness

Shared Scientific Identity Work Diagram

OUTPUTS•Shared identity statement•Deployed vision – implementation of shared identity statement thru: - Changed meeting context• Education

•Scientific presentations•Discussion panels

-Changed journal experience-Professional outreach

•Interaction with other scientific societies•Tools/resources•Web resources•Data bases•Newsletters•White Papers

PROCESSES• Visioning process• Annual meeting/Program Committee processes•Journal management & editing processes•Website development process•Newsletter development process•White paper topic assignment/development process•Tool & resource development process

INPUTS• Members’ articulation of ID • Leadership’s claim for Teratology

science boundaries• New scientific advancements in human

development (pre/post natal, child & other

• Existing societies’ claims for their boundaries

• Science brought in by new members & alliance with other societies

STRATEGIC INTENTA Shared Scientific Identity has become integral and is evident in the Society’s culture

FEEDBACKInterdisciplinary members attending meetings Website Hits Members ability to Increase in papers/abstracts Interdisciplinary nature of Journal Articles Articulate Shared Citations in general fields (concepts-generating) Interest of other societies Scientific Identity

Other societies compete for ID with our science (plant their flag)Scale (we are small, problems are bigParadigm shift – how to sell to established culture

CONDITIONSProprietary Information

Communication work diagram

OUTPUTS•Web site that:

– serves as a Information hub for both members & public

– provides one stop for information related to teratology

– provides members with more understanding of the working processes of the society

•Transparent communication of committees & council to membership•Strategies to improve the quality & quantity of submissions to our journal

PROCESSES• Website revamp to

improve navigation and functionality

• Establish communications liaison process for each TS committee and Council

• Process for continual update of web content

• Web discussion forums for Council and all committees, including Publications Comm.

INPUTS• Move website to new server (done) and complete basic website revamp

•Committee and Council communications liaisons must continually provide new content to web committee / webmaster

•Web discussion forums must be used by members

•Provide content to enhance public face of TS as projected on the web site

•Provide enhanced content (e.g. educational materials) that members want

CONDITIONSPoor inter-committee communication Member satisfaction with website is poor Website difficult to

navigateServer / cost of revamp – Logistics Committee/Council activities not transparent Outdated content on website

STRATEGIC INTENTThe goals, work and membership of the Teratology Society & its internal committees are transparent, engender mutual trust and commitment, and demonstrate the multidisciplinary nature of the Society.Our journal is growing in quality and number of submissions.

FEEDBACKWebsite hit statistics Membership surveys to gauge satisfaction website % growth in content of website

# of journal submissions Journal quality metrics

Membership:

Current & prospective members have been identified & engaged as active participants in the mission of the Teratology Society

Communication: The goals, work and membership of the Teratology Society & its internal committees are transparent, engender mutual trust and commitment, and demonstrate the multidisciplinary nature of the Society.Our journal is growing in quality and number of submissions.

Strategic IntentsStrategic Intents

Annual Meeting: The annual meeting showcases the value of the multidisciplinary nature of the Society

Shared Scientific Identity: Systems-based approaches have become integral and are evident in the Society’s culture

Visibility: The Teratology Society is recognized as the premier center of scientific excellence & a voice for the advancement of prenatal and child health (reactive proactive)