Please contact NBDPNinc@nbdpn.org if you have any questions for the Functional Committees. Your inquiry will be directed to the Committee Chairperson(s).

Health Promotions (HP) Committee

The HP Committee is responsible for promoting awareness and communication of health initiatives and key observances. This committee coordinates health observance activities, manages social media and website content, and produces newsletters and potential articles of interest for members.

Chair:  Karmen Dippmann
CHP Meetings: To be determined in 2026

Charter
Workplan

Workgroups:

• Birth Defect Awareness Month
• Folic Acid Awareness Week
• Media: Social and Website

Program & Professional Development (PPD) Committee

The mission of the PPD Committee focuses on growing and supporting the member community. This committee drives membership engagement, professional development and mentoring opportunities, and networking activities that strengthen collaboration across the field.

Chairs: Derek Ross
PPD Meetings: To be determined in 2026
Charter

Workplan

Workgroups:

• Membership
• Mentoring and Professional Development

Surveillance Data Committee (SDC)

The SDC leads the collection, analysis, and reporting of surveillance information. This committee coordinates the biennial report, supports multi-state projects, and oversees the planning & development for our surveillance data dashboard. This committee also provides a forum for members to share, learn and discuss best practices for utilizing birth defect surveillance data.

Chairs: Dayana Betancourt and Stephen Pope
SDC Meetings: First Thursday of every month at 3pm ET
Charter 
Workplan
Workgroups: 

• Biennial Report
• Multi-State Project
• Data Repository Development and Maintenance
• Data Access Portal Development and Analytical Practices & Guidelines

Surveillance Guidelines & Standards Committee (SGSC)

The purpose of the SGSC committee is to develop, revise, and promote NBDPN’s birth defects surveillance guidelines, standards, and technical tools to support best practices, provide a technical foundation, and ensure high data quality and consistency across all members. The committee also provides training and collaborates with partners to provide information and guidance of technological advances such as interoperability and electronic case reporting, as well as, creating and providing tools for these and other standards to be used by NBDPN members.

Chairs: Jodi Snow and Washa Liu
SGSC Meetings: Second Monday of every other month at 11am ET
Charter
Workplan
Workgroups:

• Abstractor Technical Tools
• Standards Development & Evaluation
• EHR/HL7 Standards
• Surveillance Guidelines Manual

Operations Committee (OC)

The purpose of the Operations Committee to support and coordinate the general activities of the Network and ensure the organization’s strategic objectives are met. The Operations Committee is made up of chairs from the Functional Committees and Partner Organizations, such as March of Dimes, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, and the Congenital Heart Public Health Consortium.

        Chair: Allison Forkner
         OC Meetings: Every month on the third Thursday, 11-12pm EST
        Charter