Who Were the Delegates?
How were they chosen
The multidisciplinary Vision Team first met in March 2009 at an exploratory meeting at the University of California, San Francisco. At that meeting 9 key stakeholder sectors were identified. Since then, delegate nomination was a meticulous, intentional, and iterative process with many rounds of vetting, internally and externally. The evidence on the most effective use of the Future Search Process provides guidelines on both maximum total participants and balance of delegates across stakeholder groups. Previous successful Future Search meetings have shown that each group should have a maximum of 9 members for effective self-management. It is also important to have a maximum of 9 groups to ensure opportunity for whole-group dialogue throughout the meeting. Hence the Vision Team identified some stakeholder groups as containing more than one profession.
The Future Search methodology has an evidence basis for success with groups of 64-81. Hence, from an extensive list of highly qualified individuals, the final invitation and alternates lists were refined by multidisciplinary subcommittees chaired by the Vision Team members who were most familiar with certain stakeholder groups. Each subcommittee went through a process which focussed on achieving first a balance of perspectives (pro, con, neutral) in the whole room, as well as balance of ethnicities, gender, age, geography across the country. Finally, delegates were prioritized for their known ability to authentically engage in dialogue regardless of their affiliations, or expressed stance on this subject.
Nonetheless, with only 81 spots to make this a functional process, it was not possible to include everyone who might be able to contribute to this process. In addition, several invited delegates were not able to attend due to previous commitments at this time. Fortunately, we have retained a larger list of those who expressed interest in continued involvement and many have communicated their priority concerns for consideration during the summit. The Future Search process also involves identifying additional key informants and partners for any action initiatives that are identified at the close of the summit.
Who They Are
Following, in alphabetical order, is the list of invited delegates that attended the Home Birth Consensus Summit. They brought a diverse array of experience and a variety of perspectives on the topic of home birth. The one thing that they all have in common is a passion for quality in maternity care and a commitment to working together to improve safety for women and babies across birth sites.
Delegates
Elizabeth Mitchell Armstrong, PhD
Jill Arnold
Sir Sabaratnam Arulkumaran, MD PhD FRCS FRCOG
Alice Bailes, CNM
William H. Barth Jr., MD
Ocean Berg, RN MSN CNS
Debra Bingham, Dr PH RN
Melissa Cheyney, PhD CPM LDM
Linda Cole, MSN CNM
Jeanne Conry, MD PhD OBGYN
Katsi Cook
Eugene Declercq, PhD MS MBA
Farah Diaz-Tello, JD
Marinah Valenzuela Farrell, CPM LM
Russ Fawcett
Kate T. Finn, MS LM (CM CPM)
Timothy J. Fisher, MD
Rixa Freeze, PhD
Tara N. Gaston, JD
Ann Geisler, CPCU AU AAI
Linda Glenn, RN CNM MPH PMHNP
Jenifer Holloman, BS MEd
Diane Holzer, LM CPM PA C
Bonnie Conners Jellen, MHSA
Debbie Jessup, CNM PhD Candidate
Rima Jolivet, PhD MSN CNM MPH
Jennie Joseph, LM CPM
John Kattwinkel, MD FAAP
Holly Powell Kennedy, CNM PhD FACNM FAAN
Tanya Khemet, LM IBCLC
Mary Lawlor, CPM LM NHCM MA
Larry Leeman, MD MPH
Audrey Levine, LM CPM
Ali Lewis, MD
Judith Lothian, RN PhD LCCE FACCE
Lisa Kane Low, PhD CNM FACNM
Marian F. MacDorman, PhD
Élan Vital McAllister
Sara Kellogg Meade, RN MS
Fay Menacker, DrPH CPNP
Tami J. Michele, DO FACOOG OBGYN
Shafia M. Monroe
Roberta Moore, CNM
Suzy Myers, LM CPM MPH
Jo Anne Myers-Ciecko, MPH
Carol Nelson, LM CPM
Marianne Nieuwenhuijze, MPH
Ruth Nolan, PhD(c) RNC
Judy Norsigian
Lauren Plante, MD MPH FACOG
Brynne Potter, CPM
Katherine Prown, PhD
Sheryl Rivett
Paula Ximena Rojas-Urrutia
Amy M. Romano, CNM MSN
Stephen Ruocco
Kate Ryan, MPA
Carol Sakala, PhD MSPH
Jane Sandall, PhD SCM RN
Laura Schummers, BSc
Jacqueline Sequoia, MD MPH MAS CLE
Geradine Simkins, DEM CNM MSN
Mark Sloan, MD FAAP
Jennifer Taylor, MPH
Saraswathi Vedam, RM FACNM MSN Sci D(hc)
Richard N. Waldman, MD
Kristi Watterberg, MD FAAP
Facilitator List
- Sarah Balthaser MPH (Facilitator)
- Cari Caldwell (Documenter)
- Sandra Janoff PhD (Facilitator)
- Shirley McAlpine (Documenter)