Membership
Institute for Credentialing Excellence

Public Members

What is a Public Member?

A representative of the consumers of services provided by a defined certificant population, serving as a voting member on the governing body of a certification program.

"The public member’s role is to champion the public or consumer interest, bring new ideas and goals to the table, contribute an unbiased perspective, encourage consumer-oriented positions, and bring additional public accountability and responsiveness. The public member should have a track record of advocacy on behalf of the public interest, a basic understanding of certification and accreditation, and previous experience serving on the governing or advisory board of a business, religious or civic organization, or similar entity".

-Rebecca LeBuhn, MA, National Board of Certification and Recertification of Nurse Anesthetists

Public Member Definitions and Role Descriptions

Click on the arrow below to read the definition.

drop down arow.pngNCCA Definition

A representative of the consumers of services provided by a certificant population serving as a voting member on the governing body of a certification program, with all rights and privileges, including holding office and serving on committees. The public member should bring a perspective to the decision and policy making of the organization that is different from that of the certificants and should help to balance the organization’s role in protecting the public while advancing the interests of the profession.

drop down arow.pngI.C.E. Definition

A representative of the consumers of services provided by a credentialed population who serves as a voting member on the credentialing body with all rights and privileges, including holding office and serving on committees. The public member should bring a perspective to the decision and policy-making of the organization that is different from that of credentialed individuals and should help to balance the organization’s role in protecting the public while advancing the interests of the profession.

EXAMPLE: CFP Board - Public Member Role Description

EXAMPLE: MSNCB's Public Member Role Description

'The Role of Public Members'. Webinar By Rebecca LeBuhn | June 16'

Announcements

Connect your Public Member with the Community

I.C.E. Members can add their Public Member to your organizational profile so they can connect and access the following resources. For assistance adding a public member to your organization's profile, contact the info@credentialingexcellence.org 

I.C.E. Public Member Network Quarterly Meetings

52873f2f-4ed9-42eb-8b6d-4d3b126975c9.jpgThe Public Member Committee hosts quarterly networking calls for public members and other interested parties. 

Networking Calls are hosted on Zoom the second Tuesday of March, June, September, and December at 1:00 pm ET/10:00 am PT. 

June Networking Call

Tuesday, June 13, 2023
1:00 pm - 2:00 pm ET

Beyond Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) and into Belonging (B): Including B in the DEI Framework

Join the networking call to hear a panel discuss the evolution of the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion framework to include a focus on cultural change to welcome diverse stakeholders and ensure a culture of inclusiveness and belonging, which contributes to feeling safe, accepted, and valued. A portion of the session will be interactive where participants will be encouraged to share workplace experiences and strategies that enhance and impede staff/volunteer/board engagement and belonging.

Speakers:

  • Jennifer Cotto, PhD, Data Scientist, National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians
  • Mark Franco, JD, Counsel, Whiteford, Taylor, Preston, LLP, ICE- CCP
  • Dawn Morton-Rias, Ed.D., PA-C, ICE-CCP, FACHE

Facilitator:  Glenna Tinney, MSW, ACSW, DCSW, Public Advisor, National Board for Respiratory Care 

Register

The Public Member Network Calls are recorded. Access past calls to listen to discussions on Integrating Public Memembers in the Standard Setting Process, What Should Public Members Know about Recertification, and an Update on the PCC.

Access Archive of Network Calls

Save the Date for the 2023 I.C.E. Exchange, October 24-27 in Colorado Springs

Complimentary Registration Offer for Public Members

  • Public members play a critical role on certification governing boards. If the President/CEO of a certification organization signs up for a full conference registration, I.C.E. will offer one (1) complimentary registration to the organization’s public member.
  • Public members have several opportunities to gather as a group at the I.C.E. Exchange to share experiences and ideas, and to suggest topics they would like to see addressed at the next year’s Exchange.​​
 

Looking For a Public Member?

Post a job posting for a public member in the I.C.E.  Career Center. 

  • Organizations seeking a Public Member can now post a job listing for a volunteer Public Member position within the Career Center.
  • Individuals seeking a Public Member position are encouraged to upload their resume to the Career Center.

Join the Public Member Networking LinkedIn Group

Search our Public Member Directory.

Resources For and About Public Members

Click on the arrow below to see the resources.

drop down arow.pngI.C.E. Standards and Courses:

drop down arow.pngArticles and Interviews:

drop down arow.pngWebinars and Presentations:

 

Recognizing Public Members with the Ben Shimberg Public Service Award

Tom Granatir

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.

drop down arow.pngAbout 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.

Public Member Committee

The Public Member Committee of I.C.E. is designed to offer public members an opportunity to network and collaborate, and to develop and share resources that support public members’ role in credentialing organizations.  The Committee meets monthly via Zoom and convenes quarterly Zoom meetings for the I.C.E. Public Member Network.  The Committee also oversees the development of  proposals for sessions at the ICE Exchange on topics of interest to public members and the entire I.C.E. community.

Chair 
  • Rebecca LeBuhn, MA, National Board of Certification and Recertification of Nurse Anesthetists
Co-Chair 
  • Beverly Black, MHSA, CAE, National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants
Staff Liaison
  • Katie Scott, Education Manager, Institute for Credentialing Excellence
  • Grace Calloway, Membership and Operations Associate, Institute for Credentialing Excellence
Group Members
  • Nancy Ahluwalia, Institute for Credentialing Excellence
  • Grady Barnhill, National Board on Certification of Physician Assistants
  • Mark Bertler, CAE, Hospice and Palliative Credentialing Center
  • Catherine Dower, JD, Institute for Credentialing Excellence
  • Sally A. Irvin, JD, MEd, MA, Competency & Credentialing Institute
  • Elsie Kelly, International Board of Heart Rhythm Examiners
  • Ben Klein, Certification Board for Diabetes Care and Education
  • Karen Plaus, CAE, CRNA, FAAN, PhD, National Board of Certification and Recertification for Nurse Anesthetists
  • Zeno W. St. Cyr, II, MPH, National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants
  • David Swankin, JD, Citizens Advocacy Center 
  • Glenna Tinney, MSW, ACSW, DCSW, Captain, United States Navy (Ret.) National Board for Respiratory Care
  • Sheryl Traficano, MBA, CAE, Certification Board for Diabetes Care and Education

Search for Committees