Committees

Committee Description

The Committee on Communications and Marketing shall present the communications and marketing priorities and plan to the Board of Directors; shall initiate or support all internal and external communications and marketing efforts; shall be responsible for overseeing market research efforts; shall appoint the editors of the Hotline and oversee their work; shall serve as the Committee that oversees The Rheumatologist and Hotline; shall monitor communications policies; and shall organize and establish subcommittees and task forces as the Committee deems necessary or appropriate to carry out its objectives, subject to the approval of the Board of Directors or the Executive Committee and Executive Vice President.

Committee Member Time Commitments

• 2 – 3 meetings per volunteer year (one is typically held in conjunction with the Annual Meeting)
• 2 – 3 conference calls per volunteer year
• 30 – 50 hours spent on outside work per volunteer year
• The committee does a fair amount of time-sensitive work via email, requiring that members be extremely responsive and able to work under short time frames

Committee Roster

• Kelly Weselman, MD, Chair, Smyrna, GA (2018)
• Luke Barre, MD, Lebanon, NH (2018)
• Suleman Bhana, MD, Montvale, NJ (2019)
• Jennifer Murphy, MD, North Charleston, SC (2017)
• Ziv Paz, MD, MSc, MPH, Boston, MA (2018)
• Jan Richarson, PT, PhD, OCS, FAPTA, Durham, NC (2017)
• Jillian Rose, LCSW, New York, NY (2018)
• Paul Sufka, MD, Eagan, MN (2019)
• James Udell, MD, Philadelphia, PA (2017)
• Marilynn G. Punaro, MD, Dallas, TX (ACR Board Liaison)
• Staff Contact: Joan Roth

Committee Description

Subject to the direction and control of the Board of Directors, the Committee on Corporate Relations shall concern itself with overseeing the procedures related to negotiation and acceptance of all external corporate funding, including the ACR exhibit hall; shall develop, review, and enforce policies on matters that involve external corporate funding and third-party events held during official ACR meetings; and shall organize and establish subcommittees and task forces as the Committee deems necessary or appropriate to carry out its objectives, subject to the approval of the Board of Directors or the Executive Committee and the Executive Vice President.

Committee Member Time Commitments

• 1 meeting per volunteer year (generally in May)
• 2 – 4 conference calls per volunteer year (depending on the issues)
• Much of the committee's work is just before the Annual Meeting

Committee Roster

• Ellen Gravallese, MD, Chair, Worcester, MA (2018)
• Hermine Brunner, MD, MSc, MBA, Cincinnati, OH (2019)
• Chester Oddis, MD, Pittsburgh, PA (2017)
• Nadine Spring, MPH, New York, NY (2018)
• Andrew Wong, MD, Sylmar, CA (2018)
• Staff Contact: Amy Beith Miller

Committee Description

The Division Director Special Committee shall concern itself with advancing academic rheumatology, and thereby rheumatology as a whole, through support of clinical care, research, education and advocacy. The Committee shall serve as a resource to the ACR on matters related to academic rheumatology; shall identify best practices for structuring academic adult and pediatric rheumatology divisions; shall update, analyze, and disseminate data related to divisions, including the state of faculty, trainees and leadership in academic divisions of rheumatology on an annual basis; shall develop rheumatology mentoring programs and resources; shall provide a community for division directors within ACR with an annual communications plan; and shall organize and establish subcommittees and task forces as the Committee deems necessary or appropriate to carry out its objectives, subject to the approval of the Board of Directors or the Executive Committee and Executive Vice President.

Committee Member Time Commitments

• 2 meetings per volunteer year (one to be held in conjunction with the Division Directors Conference; one to be held in conjunction with the Annual Meeting)
• 3 - 5 conference calls per volunteer year
• 30 – 50 hours spent on outside work per volunteer year

Committee Roster

• V. Michael Holers, MD, Chair, Aurora, CO (2018)
• Joan M. Bathon, MD, New York, NY (2018)
• Maripat Corr, MD, San Diego, CA (2018)
• Leslie J. Crofford, MD, Nashville, TN (2018)
• Beverly K. Johnson, MD, Bronx, NY (2017-2019)
• Marisa S. Klein-Gitelman, MD, MPH, Chicago, IL (2017)
• Terry L. Moore, MD, St. Louis, MO (2017)
• Christopher Ritchlin, MD, PhD, Rochester, NY (2018)
• Naomi Schlesinger, MD, New Brunswick, NJ (2017)
• Richard M. Siegel, MD, PhD, Bethesda, MD (2018)
• Joan M. Von Feldt, MD, Philadelphia, PA (BOD Liaison)
• Staff Contact: Kamilah Lewis

Committee Description

The ACR Committee on Education shall concern itself with policies and/or guidelines for programs on continuing medical education (CME) in rheumatology and professional education products for specialists and primary care physicians at the undergraduate, graduate, and postgraduate levels; shall oversee the development and provide final approval for any meetings or programs for which CME credit is granted by the ACR; shall oversee the development of any educational products or materials which will bear the ACR name; and shall organize and establish subcommittees and task forces as the Committee deems necessary or appropriate to carry out its objectives, subject to the approval of the Board of Directors or the Executive Committee and Executive Vice President.

Committee Member Time Commitments

• 2 meetings per volunteer year (generally in January and in July/August)
• 2 – 3 conference calls per volunteer year
• 5 – 25 hours spent on outside work per volunteer year (depending on the issues)
• Preferred meeting day is Saturday, typically in Atlanta.

Subcommittees

• Abstract Oversight Subcommittee
• Abstract Selection Subcommittee
• Annual Meeting Planning Subcommittee
• ARHP eLearning Subcommittee
• Innovative Therapies in Autoimmune Diseases Conference Planning Committee
• Pediatric Rheumatology Symposium Planning Committee
• Professional Meetings Committee
• Recertification Board Preparation Course and ABIM Learning Session Development Committee
• Winter Rheumatology Symposium Planning Committee
• Image Library Subcommittee
• Continuous Assessment Review and Evaluation (CARE) Development Group
• Continuous Professional Development Subcommittee

Committee Roster

• Carol Langford, MD, MHS, Chair, Cleveland, OH (2018)
• Juliet Aizer, MD, MPH, New York, NY (2018)
• Mara Becker, MD, MSE, Kansas City, MO (2019)
• Christopher E. Collins, MD, Washington, DC (2018)
• Alyssa Dufour, PhD, Boston, MA (2019)
• Brian Keroack, MD, Portland, ME (2019)
• Richard Loeser, MD, Chapel Hill, NC (2017)
• Amanda Myers, MD, CCD, Wilmette, IL (2018)
• Terry Wolpaw, MD, MHPE, Hershey, PA (2016)
• Susan Richmond, MS, PA-C, Smithfield, RI (2017)
• Charles King, II, MD, Tupelo, MS (BOD Liaison)
• Staff Contact: Donna Hoyne

Committee Description

The Committee on Ethics and Conflict of Interest shall concern itself with reviewing and making recommendations regarding the ethics and professionalism of the College, its officers, directors, and members; shall address and respond to questions of conflict of interest; shall be responsible for reviewing and, from time to time, proposing modifications to the Code of Ethics and Disclosure Policy and Statement; shall review charges alleging professional misconduct by members; shall respond to requests from the Board of Directors for guidance and recommendations on matters involving ethics and conflict of interest; shall, from time to time, develop information to educate the membership concerning the Code of Ethics and conflict of interest issues and shall organize and establish subcommittees and task forces as the Committee deems necessary or appropriate to carry out its objectives, subject to the approval of the Board of Directors or the Executive Committee and the Executive Vice President.

Committee Member Time Commitments

• 2 meetings per volunteer year (generally in December/January and in conjunction with the Annual Meeting)
• 1 – 2 conference calls per volunteer year
• Members are "on call" for issues that arise requiring that members be extremely responsive and able to work under short time frames

Committee Roster

• Jane Kang, MD, MS, Chair, New York, NY (2019)
• Zineb Aouhab, MD, Chicago, IL (2019)
• Ashley Beall, MD, Bethesda, MD (2017)
• Marcy Bolster, MD, Boston, MA (2018)
• Carol Oatis, PT, PhD, Glenside, PA (2018)
• Karen Onel, MD, Chicago, IL (2018)
• Christine Pellegrini, PhD, Chicago, IL (2017)
• Edward Rose, MD, Belleville, IL (2019)
• Emily von Scheven, MD, San Francisco, CA (2017)
• Isabelle Amigues, MD, New York, NY (Fellows Subcommittee Representative)
• Deborah Dyett Desir, MD, Hamden, CT (BOD Liaison)
• Staff Contact: Julie Anderson

Committee Description

Subject to the direction and control of the Board of Directors, the Committee on Finance shall have authority to monitor the financial policies, investments, and expenditures of the ACR, to develop the financial resources needed to carry out the programs of the ACR and shall organize and establish subcommittees and task forces as the Committee deems necessary or appropriate to carry out its objectives, subject to the approval of the Board of Directors or the Executive Committee and Executive Vice President.

Committee Member Time Commitments

• 2 meetings per volunteer year (generally in late April/early May and in late September/early October)
• 8 – 12 hours spent on outside work
• Preferred meeting day is Monday

Committee Roster

• Paula Marchetta, MD, MBA, Chair, New York, NY (2017)
• Flavia Castelino, MD, Boston, MA (2017)
• Carole Dodge, OT, CHT, Ann Arbor, MI (2019)
• Robert Keenan, MD, MPH, Durham, NC (2018)
• Timothy Laing, MD, Ann Arbor, MI (2019)
• Robert McLean, DSc, MPH, Boston, MA (2017)
• Kenneth Saag, MD, Birmingham, AL (2019)
• Jane Salmon, MD, New York, NY (2017)
• Elena Schiopu, MD, Ann Arbor, MI (2018)
• Staff Contact: Colleen Merkel

Committee Description

The Committee on Government Affairs shall concern itself with developing effective liaisons with governmental and nongovernmental research support agencies; shall establish effective liaisons with congressional members and staff; shall establish effective liaison with organizations concerned with public policy aspects of health-care delivery and health-care financing; shall monitor not-for-profit issues of concern to the College and shall organize and establish subcommittees and task forces as the Committee deems necessary or appropriate to carry out its objectives, subject to the approval of the Board of Directors or the Executive Committee and Executive Vice President.

Committee Member Time Commitments

• 2 meetings per volunteer year (generally in conjunction with Advocacy Leadership Conference in March and with Advocates for Arthritis in September)
• Monthly conference calls (first Wednesday of the month)
• Members work on one-page position papers in groups, periodically

Committee Roster

• Angus Worthing, MD, Chair, Washington, DC (2019)
• Chris Adams, MD, Opelika, AL (2018)
• Christina Downey, MD, Danville, PA (2019)
• Douglas Graham, MD, Westmont, IL (2017)
• Kent Huston, MD, Kansas City, MO (2018)
• Karla Jones, RN, MS, CPNP, Columbus, OH (2018)
• Victoria Menzies, PhD, RN, PMHCNS-BC, Richmond, VA (2019)
• Kaleb Michaud, PhD, Omaha, NE (2019)
• Christopher Morris, MD, Kingsport, TN (2019)
• Stephanie Ott, MD, Lancaster, OH (2018)
• Roy Sampson, MD, Fayetteville, AR (2019)
• Elizabeth Solow, MD, Dallas, TX (2017)
• Janet Stevens, BA, Ann Arbor, MI (2017)
• Zachary Wallace, MD, Boston, MA (2017)
• Jiha Lee, MD, New Haven, CT (Fellows Subcommittee Representative)
• William Robinson, MD, PhD, Stanford, CA (BOD Liaison)
• Staff Contact: Adam Cooper

Committee Description

The Committee on Journal Publications shall concern itself with overseeing the operations of the ACR's two peer-reviewed journals, Arthritis & Rheumatology and Arthritis Care & Research, including monitoring relations with and the performance of the journals' common publishers, developing and reviewing policies on matters that affect both journals, and reporting to the ACR Board of Directors on behalf of both journals.

Committee Member Time Commitments

• 2 – 3 meetings per volunteer year (one is typically held in conjunction with the Annual Meeting)
• 3 conference calls per volunteer year (on average)
• 12 hours spent on outside work (on average)
• Members have typically been involved with the journal as authors and/or reviewers, with representation from both the clinical and basic sciences

Committee Roster

• Nora Singer, MD, Chair, Cleveland, OH (2018)
• Kelli Allen, PhD, Chapel Hill, NC (2018)
• Cecilia Chung, MD, MPH, Nashville, TN (2019)
• Kim Jones, RN, PhD, FNP, Portland, OR (2019)
• Brian Kotzin, MD, Los Angeles, CA (2018)
• Janet Poole, PhD, OTR, Albuquerque, NM (2017)
• Amr Sawalha, MD, Ann Arbor, MI (2017)
• Richard Bucala, MD, PhD, New Haven, CT (Editor of A&R)
• Marian Hannan, DSc, MPH, Boston, MA (Editor of AC&R)
• David Karp, MD, PhD, Dallas, TX (BOD Liaison)
• Staff Contact: Jane Diamond

Committee Description

The ACR Committee on Nominations and Appointments shall make nominations for the following positions: Secretary, who will become President-Elect at the end of the Secretary's term, then President in the following year; Treasurer, who will become President-Elect at the end of the Treasurer's term, then President in the following year; Members-at-Large of the Board of Directors of the ACR and Foundation; Chairs of the Standing Committees; Members of the Standing Committees, with the exception of the Committee on Nominations and Appointments; Representatives to the Board of Directors of the Foundation from the ACR Committee on Research, ACR Committee on Rheumatology Training and Workforce Issues, and from the ARHP. The Committee shall make recommendations regarding application for membership, the ACR Awards of Distinction, and other ACR awards.

Committee Member Time Commitments

• 1 meeting per volunteer year (generally in July)
• 20+ hours needed prior to the meeting to extensively review applications

Committee Roster

• Joan M. Von Feldt, MD, MSEd, Philadelphia, PA (2017)
• Abby Abelson, MD, Cleveland, OH (2017)
• Leigh Callahan, PhD, Chapel Hill, NC (2018)
• David Daikh, MD, PhD, San Francisco, CA (2017)
• Robin Dore, MD, Tustin, CA (2017)
• Polly Ferguson, MD, Iowa City, IA (2018)
• Richard Furie, MD, Great Neck, NY (2017)
• Emily Isaacs, MD, Fort Worth, TX (2018)
• Sharad Lakhanpal, MBBS, MD, Dallas, TX (2017)
• Carlos Lozada, MD, Weston, FL (2018)
• Elizabeth Schlenk, PhD, RN, Philadelphia, PA (2017)
• Afton Hassett, PsyD, Ann Arbor, MI (Invited Guest)
• Staff Contact: Julie Anderson

Committee Description

The Committee on Pediatric Rheumatology shall concern itself with advancing pediatric rheumatology through the support of clinical care, research, education and advocacy. The Committee shall implement initiatives designed to improve the recruitment of pediatricians into the field of rheumatology; shall initiate or support the communication efforts to the ACR pediatric membership; shall support the practice needs of pediatric rheumatologists through contributions to activities of ACR standing committees, as needed; and shall organize and establish subcommittees and task forces as the Committee deems necessary or appropriate to carry out its objectives, subject to the approval of the Board of Directors or the Executive Committee and Executive Vice President.

Committee Member Time Commitments

• 2 meetings per volunteer year (one is typically held in conjunction with the Annual Meeting)
• 2 – 3 conference calls per volunteer year

Subcommittees

• Pediatric Rheumatology Residents Program
• AMIGIO ACR/CARRA Mentoring Program

Committee Roster

• Stacy Ardoin, MD, Chair, Columbus, OH (2018)
• Jennifer Cooper, MD, San Francisco, CA (2019)
• Alexei Grom, MD, Cincinnati, OH (2017)
• Jay Mehta, MD, Philadelphia, PA (2018)
• Annelle Reed, MSN, CRNP, Birmingham, AL (2017)
• Natasha Ruth, MD, MS, Charleston, SC (2018)
• Sangeeta Sule, MD, PhD, Baltimore, MD (2018)
• Rachel Sullivan, DNP, RN, CPNP, St. Paul, MO (2018)
• Marinka Twilt, MD, Alberta, Calgary, Canada (2019)
• Tracey Wright, MD, Dallas, TX (2017)
• Elizabeth Perkins, MD, Hoover, AL (BOD Liaison)
• Staff Contact: Julie Anderson

Committee Description

The Committee on Quality of Care shall concern itself with quality-related activities including the development of classification and response criteria, outcome measures, practice guidelines, quality indicators, and related practice implementation tools, and activities related to the safety of rheumatologic therapeutics. The Committee will organize and establish subcommittees and task forces as the Committee deems necessary or appropriate to carry out its objectives, subject to the approval of the Board of Directors or the Executive Committee and Executive Vice President.

Committee Member Time Commitments

• 3 meetings per volunteer year (generally in December/January, in May/June, and in conjunction with the Annual Meeting)
• 2 – 3 conference calls per volunteer year
• 5 – 10 hours spent on outside work

Subcommittees

• Classification and Response Criteria Subcommittee
• Practice Guidelines Subcommittee
• Quality Leadership Council
• Quality Measures Subcommittee

Committee Roster

• John FitzGerald, MD, PhD, MBA, Los Angeles, CA (2019)
• Aryeh Abeles, MD, Meriden, CT (2019)
• Matthew Bunyard, MD, Moreland Hills, OH (2017)
• Liron Caplan, MD, PhD, Aurora, CO (2019)
• Elizabeth Resman-Targoff, PharmD, FCCP, Oklahoma City, OK (2017)
• Robert McLean, MD, New Haven, CT (2018)
• Lakshmi Moorthy, MD, MS, Metuchen, New Jersey (2017)
• Nadine James, RN, MSN, PhD, Hattisburg, MS (2018)
• Sindhu Johnson, MD, Toronto, ON (2018)
• Lisa Suter, MD, New Haven, CT (2019)
• Désirée van der Heijde, MD, PhD, Meerssen, Netherlands (2016) (Invited Guest)
• Zsuzsanna McMahan, MD, MHS, Baltimore, MD (BOD Liaison)
• Staff Contact: Amy Miller

Committee Description

The Committee on Registries and Health Information Technology shall concern itself with health information and communication technology issues within the field of health care and the subspecialty of rheumatology and work to support and advance the use of appropriate health information and communication technology within clinical research and the practice of rheumatology to provide safe, timely, efficient, effective, equitable, and patient-centered care. The committee will oversee the ongoing growth and development of the Rheumatology Clinical Registry for quality improvement, research, and advocacy issues relating to electronic health records and other clinical and administrative information technology, and shall oversee the development and use of defined rheumatology data standards.

Committee Member Time Commitments

• 2 meetings per volunteer year
• Monthly conference calls per volunteer year

Committee Roster

• Salahuddin ‘Dino’ Kazi, MD, Chair, Dallas, TX (2017)
• Christie Bartels, MD, MS, Madison, WI (2019)
• Ruy Carrasco, MD, Austin, TX (2019)
• Donna K. Everix, MPA, BS, PT, Burlingame, CA (2017)
• Alan K. Matsumoto, MD, Wheaton, MD (2017)
• Nadia Morgan, MBBS, Baltimore, MD (2019)
• Ira Pande, MD, PhD, Nottinghamshire, England (2018)
• Ankoor Shah, MD, Concord, NC (2018)
• Jinoos Yazdany, MD, MPH, San Francisco, CA (2017)
• Alex Limanni, MD, Dallas, TX (QMS) (2018)
• Jeffrey Curtis, MD, MS, MPH, Birmingham, AL (Invited Guest)
• Kaleb Michaud, PhD, Omaha, NE (Invited Guest)
• William Harvey, MD, MSc, Boston, MA (BOD Liaison)
• Staff Contact: Rachel Myslinski

Committee Description

The Committee on Research shall concern itself with research and research training in rheumatology; shall encourage clinical and health services research on the organization of medical and health care as they may affect patients with rheumatic diseases; shall maintain an updated rheumatology research agenda; shall appoint a liaison to the Committee on Government Affairs and work with that committee on advocacy; shall work to coordinate the research efforts of the ACR and the Arthritis Foundation and shall organize and establish subcommittees and task forces as the Committee deems necessary or appropriate to carry out its objectives, subject to the approval of the Board of Directors or the Executive Committee and Executive Vice President.

Committee Member Time Commitments

• 2 meetings per volunteer year (generally in December/January and in conjunction with the Annual Meeting)
• 1 conference call per volunteer year
• 2 hours spent on outside work prior to each meeting

Subcommittee

• Early Career Investigator Subcommittee

ARHP Research Subcommittee

The ARHP Research Subcommittee members are recognized for their research presentations and publications. They work with the ACR Committee on Research to promote the research efforts of rheumatology health professionals. They present research education and mentoring programs at the Annual Meeting.

Committee Member Time Commitments

• 2 meetings per volunteer year (generally in December/January and in conjunction with the Annual Meeting; meetings are typically on Fridays, Saturdays, and/or Sundays)
• 2 – 3 conference calls per volunteer year

Committee Roster

• S. Louis Bridges, MD, PhD, Chair, Birmingham, AL (2017)
• Shervin Assassi, MD, Houston, TX (2017)
• Christine Charles-Schoeman, MD, Santa Monica, CA (2018)
• Karen Costenbader, MD, MPH, Boston, MA (2019)
• Adam Goode, PT, DPT, PhD, Durham, NC (2017)
• Evelyn Hsieh, MD, PhD, New Haven, CT (2017)
• Dina Jones, PhD, PT, Morgantown, WV (2017)
• Kristi Kuhn, MD, PhD, Aurora, CO (2019)
• Anne-Marie Malfait, MD, PhD, Chicago, IL (2018)
• Richard Siegel, MD, PhD, Bethesda, MD (Division Directors Special Committee Representative)
• Jeffrey Sparks, MD, Boston, MA (Early Career Investigator Representative)
• Mark Hwang, MD, St. Louis, MO (Fellows Subcommittee Representative)
• Gary Firestein, MD, La Jolla, CA (BOD Liaison)
• Staff Contact: Ngozi Afulezi

Committee Description

The Committee on Rheumatologic Care shall concern itself with economic, technical, and ethical issues that bear on the practice of rheumatology and allied health professionals related to rheumatology; shall work with the Committee on Education to ensure that training recommendations reflect the changing scope of rheumatology practice; shall oversee the publication of practice-related materials and other publications as deemed appropriate by the Board of Directors; shall provide the ACR membership with information concerning the future changes in medical care organization, health-care delivery, health-care financing, and health-care technology as they may affect the provision of care to patients with rheumatic disease; shall develop a government relations agenda; shall appoint a liaison to the Committee on Government Affairs; and shall organize and establish subcommittees and task forces as the Committee deems necessary or appropriate to carry out its objectives, subject to the approval of the Board of Directors or the Executive Committee and Executive Vice President.

Committee Member Time Commitments

• 3 meetings per volunteer year (generally in January, June, and in conjunction with the Annual Meeting)
• Conference calls are rare – most of the committee work is done via email
• Members are asked to respond to weekly questions and draft position statements (1 – 2 pages) and/or review position statements
• It is important for members to be practicing physicians

Subcommittees

• Affiliate Society Council
• Insurance Subcommittee

Committee Roster

• Douglas White, MD, PhD, Chair, Onalaska, WI (2017)
• Elana Bernstein, MD, New York, NY (2018)
• Michael Quigan, MBA (2019)
• Colin Edgerton, MD, Mount Pleasant, SC (2017)
• Laurie Hughell, PA-C, MPH, Des Moines, IA (2018)
• J. Eugene Huffstutter, MD, Hixon, TN (2017)
• Gwenesta Melton, MD, Fayetteville, NC (2017)
• Srikanth Mukkera, MD, Tupelo, MS (2019)
• Chris Phillips, MD, Paducah, KY (2019)
• Virginia Reddy, MD, Dallas, TX (2019)
• Marcus Snow, MD, Omaha, NE (2019)
• Ken Warrington, MD, Rochester, MN (2018)
• Amar Majjhoo, MD, St. Clair Shores, MI (2017)
• Donald Miller, PharmD, FASHP (2018) (Invited Guest)
• Howard Blumstein, MD, Smithtown, NY (ASC Chair)
• Sean Fahey, MD, Mooresville, NC (Insurance Subcommittee Chair)
• Vinicius Domingues, MD, New York, NY (Fellows Subcommittee Representative)
• Timothy Laing, MD, Ann Arbor, MI (AMA CPT/RUC Representative)
• Joan Bathon, MD, New York, NY  (Division Director Representative)
• Alan Matsumoto, MD, Wheaton, MD (PEHRC Representative)
• Joel Block, MD, Chicago, IL (BOD Liaison)
• Staff Contact: Rachel Myslinski

Committee Description

The Committee on Rheumatology Training and Workforce Issues shall concern itself with developing curricula and other educational tools for trainees in rheumatology, designing and implementing career development programs, monitoring career opportunities in rheumatology, providing networking opportunities and resources for rheumatology training program directors, and monitoring rheumatology workforce trends. The Committee shall organize and establish subcommittees and task forces as the Committee deems necessary or appropriate to carry out its objectives, subject to the approval of the Board of Directors or the Executive Committee and Executive Vice President.

Committee Member Time Commitments

• 3 meetings per volunteer year (one is typically held in conjunction with the Annual Meeting)
• 2 conference calls per volunteer year
• 2 hours spent on outside work prior to each meeting

Subcommittees

• Adult Rheumatology In-Training Exam Taskforce
• Fellows-in-Training Subcommittee
• Student and Resident Education Subcommittee
• Clinician Scholar Educator Advisory Group

Committee Roster

• Anne Bass, MD, Chair, New York, NY (2018)
• Anisha Dua, MD, MPH, Chicago, IL (2019)
• Lisa Imundo, MD, New York, NY (2017)
• Beth Jonas, MD, Chapel Hill, NC (2017)
• Ken O’Rourke, MD, Winston-Salem, MD (2018)
• Guillermo Quiceno, MD, Dallas, TX (2019)
• Linda Rodamaker, ANP, Aurora, CO (2017)
• Phillip Seo, MD, MHS, Baltimore, MD (2018)
• Gregory Taylor, MSW, Vancouver, British Columbia (2019)
• Lisa Criscione-Schreiber, MD, Durham, NC (Clinician Scholar Educator Advisory Council Representative)
• Chris Mecoli, MD, Baltimore, MD (Fellows Subcommittee Representative)
• Bruce Cronstein, MD, New York, NY (BOD Liaison)
• Staff Contact: Kamilah Lewis

Committee Description

The Political Action Committee shall develop and present to the Board of Directors for its approval the criteria that will determine how contributions will be distributed by the Committee to candidates for election to federal office; shall develop and present to the Board of Directors for its approval bylaws governing its operations; shall be responsible for all internal and external political fundraising and related marketing efforts; shall be responsible for all campaign finance filings and distributions to candidates for federal office; and shall organize and establish subcommittee and task forces as the Committee deems necessary or appropriate to carry out its objectives, subject to the approval of the Board of Directors or the Executive Committee and Executive Vice President.

Committee Member Time Commitments

• 2 meetings per volunteer year (generally in conjunction with Spring Advocacy Leadership Fly-In in March and Advocates for Arthritis in September)
• Monthly conference calls (3rd Monday of the month)

Committee Roster

• Harry Gewanter, MD, Chair, North Chesterfield, VA (2018)
• Herbert Baraf, MD, Wheaton, MD (2017)
• Fotios Koumpouras, MD, New Haven, CT (2019)
• Vicki Merrell, PA-C, MPT, Encinitas, CA (2016)
• Matthew Mundwiler, MD, Columbus, OH (2018)
• Alexandra Perel-Winkler, MD, New York, NY (2019)
• Brett Smith, DO, Farragut, TN (2019)
• Katherine Upchurch, MD, Worcester, MA (2017)
• Padmapriya Sivaraman, MD, Dallas, TX (2019)
• Nilsa Cruz, MD, Milwaukee, WI (2017) (ARHP Representative)
• Jody Hargrove, MD, Edina, MN (BOD Liaison)
• Staff Contact: Adam Cooper

Committee Description

The ARHP Membership and Nominations Committee is responsible for overseeing the nominations process to ensure the election and appointment of qualified leaders, representative of the diversity of the membership. The committee is responsible for reviewing nominations and presenting a slate of qualified candidates for ARHP elected and appointed volunteer positions and reviewing nominations and selecting recipients for the Graduate Student Awards and Merit and Lifetime Achievement Awards. In addition, the Committee handles all membership marketing responsibilities.

Committee Member Time Commitments

• 2 meetings per volunteer year (generally in December/January and in April; meetings are typically on Fridays, Saturdays, and/or Sundays)
• 2 – 3 conference calls per volunteer year

Committee Roster

• Elizabeth Schlenk, PhD, RN, Chair, Pittsburgh, PA
• Afton Hassett, PsyD, Ann Arbor, MI
• Sandra Mintz, RN, BSN, Los Angeles, CA
• Audrey Uknis, MD, Philadelphia, PA
• Robert Richardson, PT, MEd, FAPTA, Henderson, NC
• Elizabeth Salt, PhD, ARNP, Lexington, KY
• Emily Somers, PhD, ScM, Ann Arbor, Michigan
• Staff Contact: Sharon Ross

Committee Description

The ARHP Practice Committee includes representatives from each of the major disciplines in the Association. The Committee oversees the health professional practice papers and ensures that all ARHP educational products and programs meet the practice needs of membership. The Committee explores member needs regarding clinical practice issues and promoting the interdisciplinary model of care. It is the oversight committee for all ARHP practice issues.

Committee Member Time Commitments

• 2 meeting per volunteer year (generally in January and in conjunction with the Annual Meeting; meetings are typically on Fridays, Saturdays, and/or Sundays)
• Monthly conference calls per volunteer year 

Committee Roster

• Marie Westby, PT, PhD, Chair, Vancouver, BC
• Kathleen Black, MS, Eugene, OR
• Karen Duclon, MSN, ARNP, Dunedin, FL
• Catherine Figueroa, BSN, RN, Iowa City, IA
• Andrew Hochradel, PharmD, Allis, WI
• Laurie Hughell, PA-C, MPH, Des Moines, IA
• Barbara Slusher, PA-C, MSW, Galveston, TX
• Terence Starz, MD, Pittsburgh, PA
• Talitha Cox, MA, OTR/L, Los Angeles, CA
• Brandon Young, DNP, NP-C, Tupelo, MS
• Staff Contact: Sharon Ross