Category: NORDP Service Awards

Who: Katie Shoaf, Associate Director

Where: Grants Resources & Services, Appalachian State University

Number of years in research development: 5

Length of NORDP membership: 5

What initiative are you the most proud of in your role as a NORDP volunteer? 

I really enjoyed my role working in the core group with Kari Whittenberger-Keith and Paige Belisle to kick off the pilot RD 101 program.  I found developing and refining the curriculum to be the most rewarding aspect.  We are currently working with an instructional designer for the next version of the program.  RD 101 is a great opportunity for NORDP to put our best foot forward.

I am also proud of my participation in the LEAD initiative and the LEAD peer mentoring group in particular.  Our Fireside Chats were well received this past spring and we have more in the works for the coming year.  

These two working groups gave me unique avenues to participate, cultivated professional opportunities and gave me a chance to make meaningful contributions right away in my volunteer role. 

How has your service to NORDP enhanced your career?

I have been fortunate to work with Fletch, who is super involved with NORDP, throughout my RD career.  We are a team of three and she encouraged me to get involved with NORDP from the start.  I saw the impact it had on her and I knew it would benefit me as well. 

My engagement with NORDP has broadened my network across the country with hundreds now a part of it and I no longer feel as if I am in a tiny RD bubble.  I have built meaningful relationships through committee work, mentoring, and other activities.  Many of those connections were already virtual prior to the pandemic and that helped ease the transition to working from home.  

How did you hear about NORDP and what made you join initially?

Fletch arrived at Appalachian State shortly after I did and she encouraged me to join.  She was very involved in committee work and I knew right away that I wanted to be a part of it as well.  I attended my first conference in Arlington/DC.  I truly feel like I am contributing to the profession and that my committee work actually matters. 

What relationships have you built as a result of NORDP?

I have met so many people through NORDP while only working at a single institution.  I had never talked to anyone else involved with RD or RA before.  I met Jan Abramson through the Mentoring Committee. She intentionally reached out to me outside of regular meetings and encouraged me to run with ideas that I had.  This extra encouragement gave me professional confidence in both my NORDP and work roles. 

Kari Whittenberger-Keith invited me to be a part of the RD 101 initiative which was huge for my own professional development.  Jill Jividen asked me to be a co-chair for the 2021 conference as well.  These efforts showed me that my peers had faith that I would be a positive contributor despite only having tangential interactions in some cases.  This was valuable to me personally and I am forever grateful for their little nudges that opened great opportunities for me.  I am also thankful to Fletch for the initial push to join!

Describe how NORDP has changed from when you initially joined

I am not sure if I have enough perspective for this as I have only been involved since 2017.  I did know that NORDP were my people when I went to my first conference.  We have all had the challenge of explaining to our family what it is that we do in RD, but when I came to NORDP it was like, “Oh yeah this is the thing.”  It has given me a real sense of community. 

I have a better understanding of NORDP’s inner workings which has changed my relationship with it now that I know it better.  I know that my efforts are valued and how I can best contribute.  

NORDP is growing and has a lot of avenues to develop your leadership skills.  We provide professional development for members at all stages of their careers.  We are looking at equity and inclusion issues and doing well to respond to changing times.  We are increasing meaningful engagement of members through programs like RD 101 and LEAD. 

What recommendations do you have for members to get more involved with NORDP?

Regardless of your experience or personality there is something for you to give to NORDP.  You can join a committee or sub-committee, join a mentoring diad or group, submit an abstract for conference consideration.   I would encourage to reach out to someone you know or to me about how you can get involved.  

NORDP will welcome your contributions and ideas with open arms.  I have only been in RD for five years and I have seen tangible benefits during my time.  Introvert or extrovert, you can make a difference and have an impact on many people through your volunteer efforts. 

Compiled by Daniel Campbell, Member Services Committee

What initiative are you the most proud of in your role as a NORDP volunteer? 

I would say that NORDP as a whole is what I am most proud of. I was part of the initial founding group and honestly we struggled in the early years. I sometimes wondered if we would survive during our first four or five years. It has been amazing to see NORDP’s growth from a plucky little startup to a reputable, full-scale professional organization, through the efforts of its dedicated, diverse, and collegial members. We have many great programs, but I think we still have not hit our full stride. 

Of all the things we do, I feel that the listserv is still NORDP’s most valuable asset. It has continually provided a wealth of valuable information to broad spectrum of members, and is a great example of the open and supportive communication that is a hallmark of our group. I have been involved with a number of other professional organizations throughout the research enterprise and no other community is as collegial and supportive. 

How has your service to NORDP enhanced your career?

It has been enormously impactful. NORDP is intrinsically entangled with my career. My service and engagement with NORDP has benefitted me professionally in countless ways, and motivated me to engage in activities take risks professionally that I probably wouldn’t have otherwise. I’ve worked on well over 1,000 grants, with 2,000 plus faculty, and dozens of universities, but I consider NORDP my most impactful professional accomplishment, and the one of which I am most proud. I literally cannot imagine what career I would have had without NORDP. It has driven much of what I have done and vice versa. 

How did you hear about NORDP and what made you join initially?

Back in early 2009 I received a phone call from Holly Falk-Krzesinski out of the blue. She was truly the driving force in getting us all together. There were a number of people doing RD seemingly alone at universities across the country. It was a new idea that everyone had simultaneously. Holly had looked through directories of major universities for RD related job titles and began reaching out to people. When she first called me we talked for over an hour. Soon the listserv began, we had our first meeting, and we undertook the process of incorporating as a 501(c)3. I actually came up with the name for NORDP back then. Holly had suggested calling it the National Research Development Professional Association, but nerds as we all may be, I wasn’t sure that NRDPA would be a draw. Sorry Holly!

What relationships have you built as a result of NORDP?

My closest professional friendships are people that I have met through NORDP. I am still in touch with colleagues who have moved on from my office, and those I have worked with for years at universities across the country. RD is really my field now, despite my original training as a physicist and biologist. Research development is a network of networks that has opened up many opportunities for me. There are numerous things that I would not have done without my involvement in NORDP. Nothing else has been quite like it in terms of opening doors and developing professional relationships & lasting friendships. 

Describe how NORDP has changed from when you initially joined.

At the start we were very grassroots with everything done basically by hand. Back then the Vice President was responsible for putting on the annual meeting which I did for the second one which had 200 people. It was like putting on your own wedding (and it was actually in the same place I was married!). I had my family and work colleagues bringing in food, setting up signs, making badges, and working registration, while I was directing and introducing people, managing invited speakers, interacting with the hotel staff, and presenting in 5 sessions! The entire conference I was running around in chaos. It was like that for a few years, but it was what was needed at the time. 

Now we are truly a professional organization. Our most recent conference made me proud. Successful conferences do not come easily and are not a given, especially when they have to be done virtually. NORDP 2021 was the best online conference I have attended.

I think we are still only halfway there, however. We have become an effective entity and are now serving as sponsors at other group’s conferences, like the recent INORMS 2021. Research development is now considered a basic function at many universities. Vendors now see us a one of their primary customer bases.We have earned a level of professionalism and respect in the research enterprise and we are known throughout it. 

What recommendations do you have for members to get more involved with NORDP?

Just do it. Just start. Whatever it is that interests you, or you have experience with. You couldn’t find a more welcoming community. Everyone is so collegial, and they know what you are going through. NORDP pays you back in ways that you do not expect.

RD is a field that lends itself to volunteerism. We are all used to working on teams and on things that are not quite done yet. RD work like NORDP engagement is always in progress. 

NORDP is accepting of people and their interests. If you have an idea that is helpful to you, chances are it will be helpful to others. Get involved in any way you can. I promise you will not regret it!

Compiled by Daniel Campbell, Member Services Committee

References:

1. Levin, J. 2011. The Emergence of the Research-Development Professional. Chronicle of Higher Education, March 27, 2011. http://chronicle.com/article/The-Emergence-of-the/126906/
2. Rainey, R.F. 2013. Jacob Levin brings in the research money. AAAS Member Spotlight, Feb 1, 2013. https://www.aaas.org/jacob-levin-brings-research-money
3. Currie, E. 2011. Off the Path – Jacob Levin, UCSF Synapse, 25 May 2011. https://synapse.library.ucsf.edu/?a=d&d=ucsf20110525-01.2.10&e=——-en–20–1–txt——txIN–

NORDP has created three new awards to celebrate the outstanding accomplishments of members making exemplary contributions to the organization, the profession, and/or the field. These awards honor the excellence and impact of NORDP members and recognize contributions of NORDP member-leaders, including the practice or production of new knowledge related to activities such as (but not limited to):

• strategic research advancement,
• communication of research and research opportunities,
• enhancement of research collaboration and team science, and
• proposal development.

NORDP Awards will celebrate the distinctive achievements of individuals, collaborative groups or work teams, programs or projects, and organizations. Winners of NORDP Awards will be recognized during the annual NORDP Research Development Conference.

Nominations for NORDP Awards, including self-nominations, may be submitted by any NORDP member in good standing. Unless otherwise indicated, current members of NORDP’s Board of Directors are ineligible to submit nominations (including self-nominations). Information about prior NORDP Award recipients is available here.

All nominations for NORDP Awards (including the existing Rising Star Award) will be accepted through a new InfoReady NORDP awards portal and nominations will be due the first Wednesday in November, annually. 

See more about award types below, and submit nominations by November 4, 2020.

Questions? Join us October 14, 3:30-4:15 pm EDT for a discussion about new NORDP award opportunities:

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87332077727 | Meeting ID: 873 3207 7727

Award Types

Innovation Award

Recognizes individuals, groups, or team; functional units; or organizations who leverage unique skills or resources to kick-start innovation in research development and advance the profession or the field in ways that generate evidence of promise or demonstrable results. Innovations leverage partnerships, experiment with tools and techniques, or generate and share knowledge to advance NORDP and the work of its members.

Eligibility: Regular NORDP members (i.e., non-board members) in good standing are eligible for individual nomination. NORDP members in good standing and current members of NORDP’s Board of Directors may be included as part of nominations for groups, teams, functional units, or organizations.

Leadership Award

This award honors a member, a group of members or a team, a research development unit, or an organization that demonstrates exceptional leadership and/or a deep commitment to volunteerism in ways that advance the profession or field of research development.

Eligibility: Regular NORDP members (i.e., non-board members) in good standing are eligible for individual nomination. NORDP members in good standing and current members of NORDP’s Board of Directors may be included as part of nominations for groups, teams, functional units, or organizations.

NORDP Fellow

Designation as a NORDP Fellows is made to recognize the long-term accomplishments of members who have made sustained contributions to NORDP and worked tirelessly to advance research development as a profession and/or as a field. Status as a NORDP Fellow is the highest professional distinction the organization may bestow on a member. No more than one percent of NORDP members will be named Fellows annually. 

Eligibility: Regular members (i.e., non-board members) in good standing who have maintained an active NORDP membership for at least five consecutive years are eligible for nomination.

Rising Star Award

The Rising Star Award is bestowed on up to three members annually in recognition of outstanding, early volunteer contributions to NORDP and strong potential for future contributions to the organization and the profession or the field. Rising Star recipients receive waived registration for a subsequent NORDP annual conference. 

Eligibility: Regular members (i.e., non-board members) in good standing who have maintained an active NORDP membership for fewer than five consecutive years are eligible for nomination. Current and past board members are ineligible for this award.

NORDP fosters a culture of inclusive excellence by actively promoting and supporting diversity, inclusion and equity in all its forms to expand our worldview, enrich our work, and elevate our profession.

The Board of Directors of the National Organization of Research Development Professionals (NORDP) is pleased to name 13 long-time members to the charter class of NORDP Fellows.

As announced during NORDP’s recent Year in Review meeting, the Board is introducing several new ways to recognize individuals whose work is advancing the organization’s mission. Included among these new forms of recognition is designation as a NORDP Fellow.

Selection as a NORDP Fellow is an honorific distinction that recognizes the accomplishments of members who have made sustained contributions to NORDP and worked tirelessly to advance research development as a profession and/or as a field.

NORDP Fellow status is considered the highest professional honor our organization may bestow on a member. The charter NORDP Fellows are:

• Jan Abramson, University of Utah
• Jeff Agnoli, Ohio State University
• Susan Carter, Santa Fe Institute
• Kathy Cataneo, University of New Hampshire
• Holly Falk-Krzesinski, Elsevier
• Gretchen Kiser, University of California, San Francisco
• Alicia Knoedler, Exaptive
• David Stone, Oakland University
• Peggy Sundermeyer, Trinity University
• Kay Tindle, Texas Tech University
• Barbara Endemaño Walker, University of California, Santa Barbara
• Kari Whittenberger-Keith, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
• Anne Windham, Brown University

The Board chose to seat an inaugural class of 13 NORDP Fellows to honor NORDP’s founder Holly Falk-Krzesinski plus each of the 12 years the organization has hosted an annual conference. Nominations for the charter class of NORDP Fellows were solicited among and considered by the Board of Directors.

Charter Fellows were selected based on distinctive and sustained contributions to NORDP, ranging from organizational development and growth to fostering a culture of diversity and inclusive excellence to peer network development and mentoring.

In the future, members will have the opportunity to nominate colleagues for NORDP Fellow status, new awards for innovation and leadership in research development, and the long-standing Rising Star Award.

A call for nominations for all NORDP awards to be made in 2021 will be issued before the end of September 2020.

The charter class of NORDP Fellows and the recipients of NORDP’s 2021 awards will be formally recognized in conjunction with the 2021 NORDP Annual Research Development Conference. Information about prior recipients of NORDP awards is available here.

NORDP fosters a culture of inclusive excellence by actively promoting and supporting diversity, inclusion and equity in all its forms to expand our worldview, enrich our work, and elevate our profession.

Who: Vanity Campbell, Coordinator for Proposal Development Services, Office of Contracts and Grants
Where: University of California Agriculture & Natural Resources
Number of years in research development: 6
Length of NORDP membership: 6

What recommendations do you have for members to get more involved with NORDP?

One of the things that I love about NORDP is that there are so many incredible ways to serve. I would recommend getting involved with committee service as well as engagement with your region. You can look for ways to initiate regional activities by working through the Member Services Committee (MSC) and Regional Representatives on the MSC. Participating in the Mentoring Program is another excellent way to get involved. It offers the chance to connect with individuals as part of group or one-on-one and can lead to working on committees across NORDP.

How has your service to NORDP enhanced your career?

Prior to my current position I did not have much experience with RD event planning. I worked on the Committee on Inclusive Excellence for the NORDP conference in 2019. I helped recruit Jacqueline Cranford as the diversity keynote, worked to secure the speaking agreement, coordinated logistics, and offered guidance on what we were looking for in a message/presentation. I had never been exposed to this type of work before and this effort was a great benefit to me professionally. I was able to turn that experience into a Grant Essentials Summit this year where I was involved in overall messaging and securing California state agencies to participate as guest speakers.

I also built on that experience during my work on the Pacific Region’s first meeting. In collaboration with an amazing planning committee, I was involved with developing the agenda, and promoting the event which wound up exceeding our expectations.

How did you hear about NORDP and what made you join initially?

My first job in RD was at the University of California, Merced where I transitioned from a job in clinical research. My boss at the time, Susan Carter, made NORDP a part of the on boarding process for new staff members. Joining the organization really helped when I was starting my career in RD and it was wonderful to have NORDP at that point.

What relationships have you built as a result of NORDP?

My primary involvement has been with the Member Services Committee and it has been an incredible opportunity to work with those leading these initiatives. I have truly enjoyed working along with the other committee members to carry out work. It has been nice to see how the core and sub committees have worked together. I have also been involved with MSI initiatives throughout my time on the MSC. Serving as regional representative for the Pacific region allowed me to connect with folks across the region through welcome emails, conference communications and events. These efforts have helped strengthen my connection throughout the UC system that existed in my prior positions as well.

I have also been involved with the Mentoring Program where I established a strong one on one connection with my mentor, Kathy Partlow, and I also served as mentor for a number of other members.

Compiled by Daniel Campbell, Member Services Committee

NORDP fosters a culture of inclusive excellence by actively promoting and supporting diversity, inclusion and equity in all its forms to expand our worldview, enrich our work, and elevate our profession.

Who: Daniel Campbell, Research Development Program Manager
Where: Old Dominion University Office of Research
Number of years in research development: 6
Length of NORDP membership: 6

What recommendations do you have for members to get more involved with NORDP?

I would suggest looking for opportunities to get involved on a committee, create a poster, or present at a national or regional conference.  If you have an idea, bring it to a committee or someone in leadership. There is sure to be someone who would be interested in working with you on it. Whatever your area of interest, there is something for you here.  From regional involvement to mentoring to webinars, there is always something happening at NORDP that could benefit from your time and talent.

How has your service to NORDP enhanced your career?

After working in the areas of alumni and advancement, where my experience was primarily in special events, my active involvement in NORDP greatly enhanced my transition to RD. Attending my first NORDP conference helped me learn what was going on in the field and bring it back to my institution. Working on a campus can be an insular experience sometimes, so engagement with NORDP gives me a measuring stick to compare what I am doing with colleagues across the country. Through writing various blogs for NORDP News, I have improved my writing & editing skills. Plus, I tend to work behind the scenes, so this role has forced me to get out there!

How did you hear about NORDP and what made you join initially?

My supervisor, Karen Eck, has been involved with NORDP for a long time. When I started in RD, she encouraged me to check out what the organization had to offer.  I attended my first conference in Orlando, followed by Denver, DC, and Providence. I started working with Kay Tindle and Kathy Cataneo on the Member Services Committee and never looked back.

What relationships have you built as a result of NORDP (new colleagues, connections to institutions where you previously had no point of contact)?

I’ve met colleagues across the country through my involvement on various committees, including the Conference Marketing Committee, the Program Committee, and NORDP’s Communications Working Group. It seems each activity leads to another. Through the process, I’ve become more confident in my work and more validated in what I’m doing. For example, my poster presentation on our Science Pubs community outreach generated a lot of interest.  It was helpful to bring that back to the office; it tells you that you’re going in the right direction.

If you’re new to this field, there are many people in this organization who are willing to help you. Members value what you to bring to the table and they find a place where you can make a difference in NORDP.  I would say that the more people you meet through your engagement with NORDP, the more connected you are and the greater a resource you are to both NORDP and your institution.

Compiled by Sharon Pound, Communications Working Group

NORDP fosters a culture of inclusive excellence by actively promoting and supporting diversity, inclusion and equity in all its forms to expand our worldview, enrich our work, and elevate our profession.

The Holly J. Falk-Krzesinski Service Award was established in 2011 and named for NORDP’s founding President, Holly J. Falk-Krzesinski, Ph.D., who was the first recipient. Voted on by the Board of Directors, the award is given annually to a NORDP Member in recognition of outstanding service to the organization and to the Research Development profession. The honor is recognized with a commemorative plaque and free registration to the following year’s NORDP Research Development Conference.

Who: Kathy Cataneo, Director of Research Development
Where: University of New Hampshire (UNH)
Number of years in Research Development: 11
Length of NORDP membership: 11

What initiative are you the most proud of in your role as a NORDP volunteer?

There are two initiatives that have been extremely satisfying. Establishment of the NORDP Affinity Group policy, which I advanced during my first year on the Board and the Board approved in 2017, helped formalize the role that regional groups play in recruiting and retaining NORDP members. The policy also provided a structure for thematic groups such as PUI and Academic Medical Centers to coalesce – another great tool for recruiting and retaining NORDP members.

The other initiative, resulting in a 50% increase since 2016 in NORDP members to nearly 1100 members in February 2020, related to my leading various member recruitment and retention campaigns and efforts through the Member Services Committee (MSC), which I chaired for two years and then became MSC Board liaison. This tremendous growth was the result of the work of many, including regional representatives and other MSC members, and new programs such as the Ambassador Program and first-time-attendee orientation at the Annual Conference. It has been a privilege to help new members advance their RD careers through NORDP.

How has your service to NORDP enhanced your career?

It is because of NORDP that I was able to create and build an Office of Research Development at UNH. As the founding director of this office and prior director of UNH’s Office of Sponsored programs, I had ideas on how to improve the competitiveness of proposals, but I did not have the tools I needed at the start to establish credibility with our faculty in my new role. Through NORDP (Holly Falk-Krzesinski was my first RD mentor), I learned about what was working well at other institutions and I began to implement programs and services at UNH that ultimately enabled me to meet the needs of our faculty and become a respected partner in the research process at my institution.

Concurrently, I was a founding member of NORDP Northeast, chairing that regional group for several years. I worked closely with previous NORDP Treasurer Jeff Agnoli and others when NORDP was between association management firms to respond directly to members’ questions and needs; served on NORDP’s Revenue and Finance Committee, Communications Working Group, Member Services Committee, Conference planning committees, etc. I mention these because through all of these service activities, I was able to expand my professional network tremendously and raise awareness about my university. Opportunities for faculty collaborations became more possible. Our chief research officer relied on me to use my network to get input on issues at the highest level of the academy and to adopt “best practices” in RD. In turn, my credibility became well-established and I became recognized as a leader – all good for one’s career!

Describe how NORDP has changed from when you initially joined.

The biggest change is the increase in membership from a relatively small, intimate group eleven years ago to a 1000+ member organization today. Despite NORDP’s dramatic growth, we have maintained the feel of a smaller organization. I have been struck by how easy and productive networking and other interactions continue to be and how our programming and resources have grown and become more sophisticated over the years –always aiming to be responsive to the needs of our community. This is not an easy feat with an all-volunteer organization.

Along with growth comes growing pains. To relieve the Board from standard organizational business operations, the Board hired an association management firm. This has allowed the Board to assume its appropriate role in strategic planning for NORDP, and to allow NORDP’s committees to implement the activities of the strategic plan with Board oversight. I was privileged to be a Board member to assist with these major transitions.

Recent NORDP presidents have raised the visibility of our organization externally and to those who participate at the periphery of RD. By creating and supporting activities such as NORD, Leadership Forum, PEERD, and the Strategic Alliances Committee’s efforts, these NORDP leaders have expanded NORDP’s influence as a thought leader in the practice, profession, and science of research development. The recent plenary talk and Q&A session with Dr. Kelvin Droegemeier, Director of OSTP and former Vice President for Research at the University of Oklahoma is a prime example of NORDP’s growing influence.

I’d like to conclude by saying that I am grateful to NORDP for the opportunities to learn from the best, most generous colleagues one could hope to have. I have been inspired and affirmed by them all.

Compiled by Daniel Campbell, Member Services Committee

NORDP fosters a culture of inclusive excellence by actively promoting and supporting diversity, inclusion and equity in all its forms to expand our worldview, enrich our work, and elevate our profession.

The National Organization of Research Development Professionals (NORDP) is pleased to announce the 2020 winners of the Rising Star Award and the Holly J. Falk-Krzesinski Service Award.

Each year, the Rising Star Award recognizes up to three NORDP members who have made outstanding volunteer contributions to NORDP. Nominations for this award may be submitted by any NORDP member. The 2020 Rising Star Awardees are Daniel Campbell, Vanity Campbell and Sarah Messbauer:

• Daniel Campbell (Old Dominion University) is a five-year NORDP member. In this time, Dan has developed into a reliable and devoted volunteer, writing many NORDP News blog posts. He joined the Member Services Committee (MSC) – Communications Sub-committee in 2016 and then became the MSC liaison to the Communications Working Group. He has conducted the research and interviews necessary to author numerous blog posts, including multiple member/conference cameos. Dan also serves on the Conference Marketing Committee and the Conference Program Committee and is a key member of the Communications Working Group.
• Vanity Campbell (University of California, Agricultural and Natural Resources) is active on the Committee on Inclusive Excellence Committee (CIE) and represents CIE on the Member Services Committee. In this role, she led the active recruitment of Minority Serving Institutions into NORDP, including a successful outreach campaign between NORDP members and existing contacts at prospective MSIs. Vanity is also the Region VII (Pacific) chair and led the region’s conference committee through its inaugural Pacific Regional Conference in October 2019, which was attended by more than 70 individuals.
• Sarah Messbauer (University of California, Davis)is making distinctive contributions to the Member Services Committee (MSC) and to NORDP. She is MSC’s co-representative for Region VII and has co-facilitated a professional development workshop, co-managed the Ambassador Program and New Member Orientation and Networking, and co-hosted a new member networking dinner. As an MSC co-chair, Sarah works to enhance members’ experiences. Sarah drafted Access Guidelines for Presenters, providing NORDP with practical steps to make conference sessions and presentations accessible to attendees with permanent or temporary disabilities and/or special needs.

The Holly J. Falk-Krzesinski Service Award is named in honor of the organization’s founding president. The award, voted on by the Board of Directors, is given annually to a NORDP member in recognition of outstanding service to the organization and to the research development profession. The 2020 recipient of the Holly J. Falk-Krzesinski Service Award is Kathy Cataneo:

• Kathy Cataneo (University of New Hampshire) is a NORDP Board member and serves as liaison to the Member Services Committee (MSC), which she formerly chaired. She guided MSC with creativity, enthusiasm and capable management. Under Kathy’s leadership, NORDP has grown to around 1,000 members, and long-term members have enjoyed a renewed sense of engagement with the organization. Kathy’s contributions to NORDP include regional recruitment strategies, new member welcome receptions, member surveys, enhanced service awards and the creation of numerous policy/guideline documents. A true servant leader, Kathy has contributed to other NORDP committees and initiatives almost too numerous to count. Her colleagues perceive her as humble, reasoned, curious and kind. Kathy’s distinctive brand of deliberative, member-centric leadership honors NORDP’s history and traditions while enthusiastically embracing growth and change. Her influence within our organization will be felt for a long time.

Click here to view recorded remarks from Holly Falk-Krzesinski recognizing Kathy.

For information about past recipients of the NORDP Service Awards, click here.

NORDP fosters a culture of inclusive excellence by actively promoting and supporting diversity, inclusion and equity in all its forms to expand our worldview, enrich our work, and elevate our profession.