Greetings fellow NERVES members! The end of the year is almost upon us, and it’s time to refocus on our commitment to improving our Society. During the Annual Meeting in San Diego this past April, many of you asked about volunteering to serve on one of our many committees. We want to follow-up with you now, as well as inviting any other interested member to submit a request to join one of our great committees. At our summer meeting this year, your Board worked very hard and accomplished a great deal, including the re-organization of several of the committees to better serve our members interests. Below is a list of the Society’s committees, it’s current chairperson, a brief description of its responsibilities and the number of open member slots.

Editorial Committee

Committee Composition: The committee consists of at least four (4) members, including the Secretary, who acts as the chair. The other committee members should represent the other geographical regions, and ideally be diverse in practice type and size.

Committee Size:  6 – 8 members

Committee Duties: The mission of the NERVES Editorial Committee is to write and publish the NERVES’ e-newsletter and seek out from the full NERVES members base, submissions for publications to enhance the general neurosurgical literature.

Member Commitment: The committee meets via conference call once per quarter to discuss topics for the Newsletter and establish a production timeline for each edition. The committee chair will review the deadlines for the AANS/CNS publications and seek volunteers for topics/articles.

Chair:  Donna Bailer, Secretary, University of Alabama at Birmingham Neurosurgery

Financial & Annual Meeting Committee

Committee Composition: The committee is co-chaired by the President Elect and Treasurer. The other members represent the organization through geographic and demographic diversity.

Committee Size:  8 - 10 members

Committee Duties:

Financial Aspect (Treasurer): The committee is responsible for developing budgets, securing annual sponsors/meeting exhibitors.

Annual Meeting Aspect (President Elect): The volunteers develop the agenda for the Annual Meeting, determine session fees and assist in promoting the event. Committee members also act as Ambassadors at the Annual Meeting.

Member Commitment: The committee meets via conference call monthly during the planning of the Annual Meeting, beginning shortly after the current year’s meeting has wrapped. The early calls are to brainstorm session topics and to review surveys for areas of improvement. The busy time for the committee is late fall/early winter and again in the month leading up to the Annual Meeting.

Chairs: Financial:  Steve Napolitan, NERVES Treasurer, University of Michigan Neurosurgery

Annual Meeting:  John Lewis, NERVES Vice President/President-Elect, Semmes-Murphey Clinic

Nominating & Bylaws Committee

Committee Composition: The committee consists of four (4) members, including the President-Elect, who acts as the chair. The other three committee members should represent the other three geographical regions, and ideally be diverse in practice type and size.

Committee Size:  4-6 members

Committee Duties: The committee solicits the entire membership for recommendations and proposes a slate of nominees to the Secretary for Officers and Regional Directors for the vacancies that occur on an annual basis. The committee also has the responsibility of periodically reviewing the Bylaws, and formally proposing amendments when deemed necessary.

Member Commitment: The committee meets via conference call once in the late fall to establish a timeline for collecting nominations and vetting those members. They will meet again via conference call four months prior to the Annual Meeting to submit the slate to the Secretary. Bylaws review meetings are scheduled as determined by the Board’s Executive Committee.

Chair:  John Lewis, NERVES Vice President/President-Elect, Semmes-Murphey Clinic

Survey Committee

Committee Composition: The committee consists of at least four (4) members representing the geographical regions, and ideally, should be diverse in practice type and size.

Committee Size:  6 – 8 members

Committee Duties: The committee reviews the Socio-Economic Survey to ensure that it continually provides the most comprehensive and critical data. The group will periodically evaluate the data collection method. The committee members also promote the Survey to increase participation across the membership.

Member Commitment: The committee meets annually in person in concert with the Board’s summer meeting. Follow up meetings are done via conference call. The busy time for this committee is spring/summer.

Chair:  Mike Radomski, Mayfield Clinic

Membership

Committee Composition: The committee is comprised of the Regional Directors, plus other interested members; the Chair position is reviewed annually and is designated by the Board. The committee should represent the organization through geographic and demographic diversity.

Committee Size:  6 - 8 members

Committee Duties: The committee was established to propose and initiate activities for the recruitment and retention of members. Committee members will also seek out opportunities to promote NERVES at affiliate meetings (AANS, CNS, CSNS state/regional meetings).

Member Commitment: The committee meets via conference call as opportunities for presentation/exhibition participation are approved and confirmed by the Board.

Chair: Becky Turner, Southwest Regional Director, Texas Spine & Neurosurgery Center

Education

Committee Composition: The committee is comprised of at least four (4) members representing the geographical and demographic make-up of the Society. Members with coding expertise are encouraged to join this committee.

Committee Size:  4-6 members

Committee Duties:  The mission of the NERVES Education Committee is to create educational opportunities for Members throughout the year, including the Annual Meeting; to provide neurosurgery practice management expertise to the AANS, CNS & CSNS; and to provide practice management expertise & information on our organization to senior-level residents by presenting at the Senior Resident Bootcamp or by other means

Member Commitment: The committee meets via conference call once per quarter to discuss topics for content and establish a production timeline. One member of the committee will serve as liaison to the Financial & Annual Meeting Committee.

Chair: Tariq Qureshi, Northeast Regional Director, Yale Neurosurgery

Communications

Committee Composition: The committee is comprised of at least four (4) members representing the geographical and demographic make-up of the Society.

Committee Size:  4-6 members

Committee Duties: The committee will lead efforts to develop the NERVES brand through reviewing and updating website content, ensuring consistency in brand standards, developing collateral for affiliate organization events, and collaborating with Membership and Education committees to supply appropriate materials as needed.

Member Commitment: The committee meets at least quarterly via conference call, or as projects are approved and confirmed by the Board.

Chair:  Mary Cloninger, Washington Liaison, Carolina Neurosurgery & Spine Associates

If you are interested in joining one of our committees, please send me or Melissa Klinberg an email with the committee or committees you have an interest in joining. We will submit each request to the executive committee and committee chairperson for consideration and respond to you as quickly as possible. Thank you all, in advance, for volunteering for these important committees. The success of our Society is dependent on your contributions and effort on our behalf. We can’t do it without you.

Sincerely,

Jim Shea, NERVES President