 WHAT'S NEW!!NCHEC Update for 2000The National Commission for Health Education Credentialing, Inc. (NCHEC) is pleased to announce the newly elected officers for the year 2000. We invite the health education community to join us in congratulating the following individuals elected to key NCHEC positions.
Chairperson: Dr. Sheila Patterson
Vice-Chairperson: Dr. Alyson Taub
Treasurer: Dr. Helen M. Graf
Secretary: Dr. Joanna Hayden Other newly elected Commissioners are: Dr. Larry Olsen (Towson University), an at-large Commissioner, David Ramsey (U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention), representing the Division Board for Professional Development and Dr. Hayden, who also represents the Division Board for Professional Preparation. Their leadership, along with incumbents Dr. Randy Black (Past Chairperson), Dr. Gary Gilmore (replaced by Dr. John Sciacca while on sabbatical in India), Dr. Karen Denard Goldman, JoAnn Lemaster and Dr. John Seffrin will serve as the Board of Commissioners for 2000 and will guide the NCHEC through a year of new opportunities. As we welcome in the year 2000, we would like to thank a number of individuals who completed their five-year terms as Director and/or Commissioner in December 1999. The NCHEC commends Bonnie Barclay, Ellen Capwell, William Chen, Michael Cleary, Lenora Johnson, Kathleen Middleton, Donna Nichols, Patricia Poindexter and Gail Taylor-Rice for their service to the Commission. All of these individuals have demonstrated a strong commitment in fulfilling their terms of office and we are very appreciative of the time and energy they have expended. At the same time, we are fortunate to welcome the newly elected Directors. Flora Bloom (Health Education Consultant), Jim Florence (East Tennessee State University) and Patrick Hodge (Pennsylvania Department of Health) were elected to the Division Board for Professional Development. Elaine Ricketts (Cook County Department of Public Health) and Sherman Sowby (California State University-Fresno) were elected to the Division Board for Certified Health Education Specialists. Kelly Bishop Alley (Smokefree Indiana), Laurie Larkin (Berea College) and Lisa Benz Scott (Center for the Advancement of Health) were elected to the Division Board for Professional Preparation. We look forward to benefiting from this expanded expertise. The Commission also extends a warm thank-you to William Cosgrove who recently resigned as Executive Director to take advantage of a new opportunity to return to professional practice as the Research and Evaluation Project Coordinator for the Center of Health Studies which is part of the Lehigh Valley Health Network in Allentown, PA. We extend our appreciation for his leadership and vision demonstrated over the last four and a half years. NCHEC bids Bill a fond farewell and extends our best wishes in his new position. He departs wishing the Commission well as it charges into the 21st century by saying, "I have the highest confidence that under the current leadership even greater successes can be realized and I am grateful to NCHEC and the certified health education specialists for having the privilege to have served you." The current leadership is working diligently to set in place a process for identifying a qualified leader to assume the position of Executive Director and provide the staff support needed to implement NCHEC's new strategic initiatives. To fill the gap, the NCHEC Board of Commissioners is pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. Carol Soha as Interim Executive Director on a part-time basis while NCHEC conducts a national search for a new Executive Director. Carol Soha brings a wealth of experience to NCHEC. She was the Executive Director of the Delaware Center for Wellness for several years and also served on the NCHEC Board of Commissioners and as Coordinator of the Division Board for Professional Development. In conjunction with a very competent and dedicated NCHEC office staff, Carol will ensure an efficient operation during this time of transition. The NCHEC Leadership would also like to offer its appreciation to the staff for their assistance and cooperation throughout the year and during this transition. A sincere thank you to is extended to Jan Cole (Financial Coordinator), Heather Kelsall (Administrative Coordinator), Christine Kosman (Application Coordinator) Lenore Spohn (Continuing Education Coordinator) and Diana Weaver (Data Systems Coordinator). A highlight of the recent meeting of the Board of Commissioners was the approval of a Strategic Plan for the NCHEC. The Plan is anchored with four overarching goals to be undertaken by the Commission between now and the year 2002. The four goals adopted by the Board of Commissioners are as follows:
I. To advocate for quality assurance in health education services. The Plan, its objectives and activities will enable NCHEC to take a more aggressive role in marketing the health education credential beyond the field and into the competitive marketplace. In addition, NCHEC is and will continue to explore innovative means of operations by availing itself of technological advances provided through electronic monitoring, tracking and communications. By aligning itself with other credentialing bodies, NCHEC is moving forward in facilitating more user-friendly systems and processes for providers of continuing education offerings and certified health education specialists. New announcements in these areas can be expected during this year. Please visit the NCHEC website (www.nchec.org) for updates on all activities.
1/6/2000 |