Service Opportunities

ASBH offers many opportunities for members to get involved in all facets of the Society. ASBH members who are interested in further involvement are encouraged to read their email from the Society and respond to the opportunities that best suit their interests and availability. Throughout the year, ASBH issues calls for applications for a variety of positions including proposal reviewers and presentation moderators; committee and task force members; and elected roles on the board and nominating committee.

Active and Upcoming Opportunities

This page will be continually updated with active calls for volunteers. Check back again soon to learn more about newly available roles, or read on to learn about upcoming calls.

Affinity Group Leaders

Each year, there are typically a few affinity groups in need of a new leader. Check back in the coming weeks for an update as to which groups may be in need of a volunteer!

All affinity group leaders will be responsible for the following:

Planning programmatic content for the annual meeting of the group, subject to deadlines set by ASBH staff;
Communicating with the ASBH Board of Directors and staff on behalf of the group and ensuring that the group confirms to ASBH policies and procedures; and
Submitting an annual report on the group’s activities to the Board of Directors.

Standing Work Groups

ASBH offers many opportunities for members to get involved in all facets of the Society. ASBH members who are interested in further involvement are encouraged to read their email from the Society and respond to the opportunities that best suit their interests and availability. Throughout the year, ASBH issues calls for applications for a variety of positions including proposal reviewers and presentation timekeepers; committee and task force members; and elected roles on the board and nominating committee.

Affinity Groups

Affinity groups meet once a year at the ASBH Annual Meeting and communicate throughout the year to exchange information about similar areas of interest. Those who are interested in participating are encouraged to choose a group(s) in their membership profile and to attend the annual meeting. Each group identifies a leader for the coming year. Those who are interested in leadership are invited to email the group leader or the ASBH office.

Awards Committee

The Awards Committee solicits nominations for the Lifetime Achievement Award, Distinguished Service Award, and Cornerstone Award and makes recommendations to the Board of Directors. Each year, the committee is appointed by the board from an open call for volunteers in May.

Clinical Ethics Consultation Affairs (CECA) Committee

The CECA Committee supports the goals of healthcare ethics consultation and the development of healthcare ethics consultants' capabilities for meeting the needs of patients, staff, and healthcare organizations. Each year several members rotate off the committee and new members are appointed to create, review, and promulgate resources and engage in other related activities.

Executive Committee

The President, President-Elect, Immediate Past President, Secretary, and Treasurer comprise the Executive Committee and are authorized to exercise the powers of the Board in the management of the business and affairs of the Society between meetings of the Board.These officers are elected by member vote during ASBH’s July election.

Nominating Committee

The Nominating Committee shall annually present to the membership a slate of candidates for the Board of Directors and Nominating Committee, with up to two best-qualified candidates for each open position. Though the Nominating Committee shall make the final list of candidates, the Committee shall consult with the Board to help promote a diverse and multi-disciplinary slate of nominees. The Nominating Committee shall consist of five Members of the Society: Each year the Board will appoint one member to serve a single 2-year term; resulting in two appointed members serving staggered 2-year terms. The Board of Directors will make the appointments directly without requiring appointees to be recommended by the Nominating Committee. Additionally, each year, one member will be elected by the membership to serve a two-year term using the nominations and election process, resulting in two elected members serving staggered 2-year terms. The ASBH Immediate Past President shall be the only board member to serve on the committee and has full voting rights. At least four months prior to presenting its nominees to the Board, the Nominating Committee shall issue a call for nominations to all Society members.

Program Committee

The Program Committee consists of four people, each of whom is appointed by the board to serve a two-year term. Two members join and two rotate off the committee each year. All committee members are involved in the planning process and the selection of proposals, and the final decisions rest with the chair of the committee. The work of this committee is supported by proposal reviewers who score all of the submitted proposals and help to determine which are accepted for presentation at the annual meeting.

What is the Program Committee?

The ASBH Program Committee is responsible for planning and organizing the Annual Meeting, the society’s pinnacle event of the year. The committee is composed of a diverse group of six ASBH members, each of whom is appointed to serve a 3-year term. Two members rotate on/off the committee each year.

How can I serve on the Program Committee?

Members of ASBH who have a track record of service to the organization are nominated by ASBH officers and prior Program Committee members; this is not an elected or self-nominated position. Individuals who have interest in this role can start by volunteering as a timekeeper, abstract reviewer, affinity group leader, and other roles during the annual meeting.

What does the Program Committee do?

The committee develops the educational content of the annual meeting. This involves choosing the meeting theme and goals, selecting/recruiting plenaries and speakers, and overseeing the proposal submission and review process. In making program selections, the committee strives to foster interdisciplinary exchange and dialogue recognizing the diversity of the membership and meeting audience. The committee also reviews evaluations from the previous year to identify successes and areas for improvement.

How are submissions evaluated and chosen?

There is a category leader for each proposal submission category. The category leaders in turn secure enough reviewers so that each proposal is reviewed blind by three reviewers, and the category leader then makes a recommendation (blinded to submitter/institution). Program Committee members provide the third and final (also blind) review of all submissions, including reviewers’ scores and category leader recommendations.

Student Paper Award Committee

The Student Paper Award Committee invites and reviews submissions for the Student Paper Award that is presented at the annual meeting. Each year, the committee is appointed by the board from an open call for volunteers in May.

For more information about volunteering your time and talent on behalf of the Society, contact ASBH at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Learn more about the volunteers that served ASBH this past year by visiting ASBH’s Outstanding Volunteers page.