BOARD OF DIRECTORS – 2007
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Executive Committee: |
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President |
Marge Patzer |
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President Elect |
Ruth Swiggum |
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Past President |
Kim Digardi |
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Secretary |
Lynn Hemrick |
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Treasurer |
Muffy Ratto |
Directors at Large |
Ronni Cline |
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Mariann Cosby |
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Melony Carlton |
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Karen Juncker |
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Tracy Albee |
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Marilyn McDonald |
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Newsletter Editor |
Ruth Swiggum |
PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE
Welcome to Fall! It is wonderful to have some nice cool days again. The Harvest Party at the Stockton Yacht Club was a wonderful event. Even though we had some rain during the day, the evening sunset over the Delta was amazing. Many thanks to Karen Juncker who coordinated the event!
The October 13th program promises to be a very interesting program on “Evaluation of a Personal Injury Case from Top to Bottom” presented by Arlene Klepatsky R.N., J.D.
A short Board meeting will be held after the presentation. Everyone is welcome to attend. The meeting agenda will be sent via email soon.
Muffy Ratto and Marilyn Mc Donald are working on plans for an exciting attorney challenge early next year – stay tuned for this exciting event.
Kim Digardi is sending out ballots for next year. Be sure to vote for the new slate of officers. I also encourage those who have not already done so to consider participation in a committee or as a board member. Networking is the basis for building a successful legal nurse consulting career and here is your opportunity!
Marge Patzer
President, GSAC - AALNC
PAST PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE
I would like to include a reminder about elections:
The ballots for the 2008 GSAC election were sent out in early October. Please take a few minutes to review the ballot and return it by the November deadline. The number of candidates for this election was low, so if you are interested in supporting the chapter with your personal participation, you may still submit your name as a write-in!
Thank you to those who stepped forward this year as candidates willing to provide direction and oversight for GSAC during 2008. All members can show their appreciation to those taking on these sometimes thankless jobs by remembering to vote, and by supporting chapter functions.
Remember, the ballots must be mailed back to the chapter address; they can not be emailed or faxed.
Hope to see each of you at our next meeting or event!
Kim Digardi
Past President, GSAC – AALNC
GSAC-AALNC COMMITTEES
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Bylaws: |
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Chairperson |
Kim Digardi |
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Finance: |
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Chairperson |
Muffy Ratto |
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Holiday Party: |
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Chairperson |
Karen Junker |
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Membership: |
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Chairperson |
Melony Carlton |
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Nominations: |
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Chairperson: |
Kim Digardi |
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Policy and Procedure: |
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Chairperson: |
Ruth Swiggum |
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Public Relations: |
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Chairperson |
Ronni Cline |
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Publications: |
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Newsletter Editor: |
Ruth Swiggum |
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Web Spinner: |
Tracy Albee |
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Education: |
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Chairperson |
Marilyn McDonald |
Miscellaneous
GSAC’s BRN number is available for $25.00 per class session for those who are in need of offering contact hours for their instructional event.
PAST EVENTS:
GSAC Harvest Party on September 22, 2007 was a great success. This event replaced our annual holiday party and was located in Stockton on the lake at the beautiful Stockton Sailing Club. Thanks so much to Karen Juncker and all of her assistants for pulling this off so well.
UPCOMING EVENTS:
GSAC Dinner Educational – followed by
GSAC Board and General Meeting
October 13, 2007
“Evaluation of a Personal Injury Case from Top to Bottom” presented by Arlene Klepatsky, RN, JD
Exact time to be announced
Location to be announced
GSAC Board and General Meeting
November 28, 2007 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm
Location to be announced
UPDATE FROM NATIONAL:
The AALNC Board of Directors recently met in Chicago.
2008 Planning: The main purpose of the fall board meeting is to plan for AALNC’s future. As the Board of Directors, it is incumbent upon us to always be thinking about the future and ensure our budget and upcoming plans support our strategic initiatives. As a reminder, AALNC adopted a new strategic plan in the fall of 2006. Our strategic initiatives are:
- AALNC will diversify revenue in order to meet all goals of the organization.
- AALNC will have a governance structure that will respond to the evolving environment of legal nurse consultants.
- AALNC will be the preeminent resource for legal nurse consultants.
- AALNC will increase the awareness of the legal nurse consultant specialty practice.
- AALNC will anticipate future trends impacting the legal nurse consultant specialty practice.
Innovation Update: Starting in late 2006 and continuing through the summer of 2007, AALNC has participated in an initiative to help us in how we launch new products and initiatives. This endeavor is a concentrated effort to identify products and services which will help our members succeed as legal nurse consultants. At this meeting we discussed next steps and those products/services we will pursue. Stay tuned for future updates to this exciting initiative.
Certification: Marianne Hallas, Chair of the American Legal Nurse Consultant Certification Board, provided an update to the full board. The practice analysis which helps define our specialty and sets the blue print for the exam is in the works. The survey will be sent within the next 10 days, so please encourage your chapter members to participate.
Operational Update: In addition to strategic planning, time is spent reviewing the business of the organization to ensure we are on target for 2007 program plans and to meet our budgeted revenue and expenses. A few highlights:
- The 2007 financial forecast is looking strong.
- The research grant project is near completion with materials to be routed to the chapters for education in the upcoming weeks.
- Plans are underway in earnest for the 2008 conference. The conference committee has put together a strong program and the advance details will be available in November.
- As announced, the 3rd edition of the Principles and Practice has begun. Looking to the senior editors, Lynda Kopishke and Ann Peterson, for guidance we anticipate the new edition being available in 18-24 months. We will keep all chapter leaders apprised of this immense undertaking as we continue.
- A news release regarding the recent Summer 2007 Journal of Legal Nurse Consulting on Medicare Set-Asides was routed to our media list and fellow nursing organizations.
- A new attorney outreach and advocacy committee was established in 2007 and is working diligently on behalf of all LNCs with increased planning on the horizon for 2008.
Tracy Albee
AALNC Director at Large
Run for an Elected Leadership Position!
AALNC Nomination Application Due Date:
November 1, 2007
Are you an AALNC member who is motivated, goal-oriented, and experienced? Are you a visionary? If so, you have the qualities needed to be an AALNC leader! This is an opportunity to develop new leadership skills and make a positive impact on our association and your career. Please consider carefully about how you or someone you know might be able to help the association as we continue to move forward.
Any AALNC member who is eligible and interested in running for a position on the Board of Directors or Nominating Committee is encouraged to actively request and submit an application. If you have leadership skills such as consensus-building, collaboration, or teambuilding, request a nomination application and submit it by the deadline!
The following positions are available for 2008-2009:
Nominating Committee Member (Term of office: 2 years; Positions available: 1)
Director-at-Large (Term of office: 2 years; Positions available: 2)
Director-at-Large (Term of office: 3 years; Positions available: 1)
President-Elect (Term of office: 3 years -- 1 year as president-elect, 1 year as president, 1 year as past-president. Nominees for President-elect must have served on the AALNC Board of Directors within the past 3 years.)
Basic Qualifications
To be considered as a candidate for the board of directors or for the nominating committee, you must be an active AALNC member in good standing for a minimum of two years who currently practices legal nurse consulting.
Obtain an application by contacting Kathryn Ryan at AALNC at Kathryn.Ryan@aalnc.org or toll-free at 877/402-2562. Or mail your completed application request form to:
AALNC
Attn: Kathryn Ryan
401 N. Michigan Avenue, Suite 2200
Chicago, Illinois 60611
Completed applications must be postmarked no later than November 1, 2007.
Thanks Tracy Albee
AALNC Director at Large
EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES:
State of the Art Medical and Rehabilitative Care in Brain Injury: Clinical and Legal Implications.
November 16-18-2007
At the Silverado Resort in Napa, California
Presented by the California Brain Injury Association and The Scarlett Law Group
Go to: www.calbia.org for more information and registration.
Violence in Healthcare. Prevention and Management
Presented by PESI Healthcare
Rancho Cordova, CA on November 5, 2007
Go to www.pesi.com for more information
Other seminars also available at this website
AWCP’s Excellent Adventure: Getting There Together
9th Annual Workers’ Compensation Conference
October 22, 2007
Radisson Hotel Sacramento, CA
Go to www.awcp.org for more information
Don’t Gamble With Your Practice… Learn How to Play Your Cards Right
International Association of Rehabilitation Professionals
2007 Forensic Conference
November 1-3, 2007
Bally’s Las Vegas, NV
http://www.rehabpro.org/
When Something Goes Terribly Wrong – Avoiding the Latest Legal Issues in OB Care
PESI Healthcare
December 6, 2007
Rancho Cordova, CA
Speaker: Kathleen Lagana, RN, PCNS, PHD
www.pesi.com
Advanced Electronic Fetal Monitoring
3 dates in December of 2007
PESI Healthcare
www.pesi.com
OTHER IMPORTANT DATES:
January 31, 2008
Chapter Renewal Deadline
April 8, 2008
LNCC® examination for certification: LNCC
Application deadline is February 12, 2008
April 9-12, 2008
AALNC Conference in Tampa Florida
April 9, 2008: Chapter Leadership Forum