Recognizing Public Members with the Ben Shimberg Public Service Award
Tom Granatir, VP for Policy and External Relations at the American Board of Medical Specialties
2022 Ben Shimberg Public Service Award recipient
Responsible for policy, advocacy, and public affairs, Tom interacts with the full spectrum of the organization’s stakeholders, including consumer advocates and public members. Tom is honored with this award “For his career-long commitment to advancing public health, his appreciation for the importance of having the consumer’s voice at the table, and his encouragement of public members in governance and policy making.”
I.C.E. is honored to support the Dr. Benjamin Shimberg Public Service Award, which recognizes an individual whose career and accomplishments support accountability and advance the public interest in professional licensure and certification. The award was created by the Citizen Advocacy Center, a networking and training organization for public members, in memory of Benjamin Shimberg, a giant in the field and CAC’s first board chair. Ben was a true believer that well-chosen, well-supported public members add depth and accountability to organizational decision making.
Shimberg Award recipients deliver a brief talk about public policy aspects of certification and regulation and the important role of public members, based on their careers and experience. The talk is delivered at an I.C.E. Public Member Network quarterly Zoom call. I.C.E. thanks the Public Member Committee, who nominate and select the individual receiving this award. Learn about past award winners and access their lecture here.
About Ben Shimberg, and the Ben Shimberg Public Service Award
Ben Shimberg was an inspiration to a generation of consumer advocates because of his commitment to making credentialing and regulatory institutions accountable to the public. Ben believed appointing well-chosen public members, orienting them to their role, and supplying them with resources would serve that end. I.C.E. (then NOCA) gave Ben its Lifetime Achievement Award in 2000.
Ben was the first chair of the Citizen Advocacy Center’s Board of Directors until his death, when CAC established in his memory the Benjamin Shimberg Public Service Award to honor individuals whose careers and contributions exemplify the principles Ben stood for. It is no surprise that several I.C.E. leaders have received the award, including Denise Roosendaal in 2018.
Since 2004, CAC has presented the Shimberg Award at its annual meeting, an event CAC discontinued in 2020. Not wanting the award in Ben’s memory to fade away, I.C.E. welcomed the opportunity to present the Ben Shimberg award at its annual Exchange. Shimberg Award recipients also deliver a lecture at the I.C.E. Public Member Networking calls. The event is open to all.
I.C.E. is honored to support the Dr. Benjamin Shimberg Public Service Award, which recognizes an individual whose career and accomplishments support accountability and advance the public interest in professional licensure and certification. The award was created by the Citizen Advocacy Center, a networking and training organization for public members, in memory of Benjamin Shimberg, a giant in the field and CAC’s first board chair. Ben was a prolific author, renowned speaker, and a true believer that well-chosen, well-supported public members add depth and accountability to organizational decision making. I.C.E. thanks the Public Member Committee, who nominate and select the individual receiving
Shimberg Award: Nomination and Select Process
Nominations
Calls for nominations for the annual Ben Shimberg award shall be made via the I.C.E. Public Member Committee meetings and/or though any of the Committee’s communication channels such as its web page, email announcements, and conference presentations. Members of the I.C.E. Public Member Committee are not eligible to be nominated. Nominations can be made by anyone on the I.C.E. Public Member Committee; any current or past member of the CAC Board of Directors; or any prior recipient of the award. Nominations shall be submitted to the I.C.E. Public Member Committee leadership (chair; co-chairs; or staff) preferably by May 1 but no later than June 1 of the year in which the award will be made, and should include the name and contact information of the nominee, a brief description (not to exceed one page) of the ways in which the nominee’s work aligns with Ben Shimberg’s values and ideals; the nominee’s C.V. or resumé, and the submitter’s name and contact information.
Vetting and Voting
Upon receipt of any nomination(s), a subcommittee of the I.C.E. Public Member Committee shall review the submissions. The subcommittee shall be made up of 3-5 individuals including at least one person who was involved with C.A.C. leadership if possible (this role to be filled by Becky LeBuhn as of 2023) and 2-4 other volunteer committee members. They will review the submission(s) for accordance with the Shimberg award values and criteria. As determined by the subcommittee, any and all nominations that meet the values and criteria shall be put to a vote by the members of the Public Member Committee, where the majority vote wins; in the case of a tie, the Committee may choose to recommend two recipients for that year. The vote shall be conducted by July 1 of the year in which the award will be made.
Award Recipients
Upon completion of the vote, the chair or a co-chair of the Public Member Committee shall notify I.C.E. staff of the group’s decision and shall notify the recipient of the award. Recipients of the award will be recognized with a public award presentation – either in-person or virtually – at the annual I.C.E. Exchange conference. Shimberg Award recipients are also invited and expected to deliver a brief talk about public policy aspects of certification and regulation and the important role of public members, based on their careers and experience. The talk is delivered at an I.C.E. Public Member Network quarterly meeting (usually conducted virtually) and the recording is posted on the Public Member Community page on the I.C.E. website.
Timing of the notification of award recipient and public announcements shall be coordinated to meet I.C.E. meeting, conference, and scheduling parameters.
Shimberg Award: Values and Criteria
Values and Criteria
Ben Shimberg, widely considered the father of accountability in professional and occupational licensing, was a leader in testing, regulatory, and credentialing principles. His demonstrated commitment to protecting the public interest is remembered by honoring those whose professional careers meet the following criteria:
- Career within the occupational regulatory, testing, certification, and/or credentialing fields;
- Accountability to the public and public protection; and
- Commitment to the value of public members on regulatory and credentialing boards.
Past Shimberg Award Recipients