Inside the Association of Rheumatology Professionals’ Volunteer Selection Process

The ARP Nominations & Appointments Committee plays a pivotal role in overseeing the nominations process, ensuring the election and appointment of qualified leaders and volunteers who reflect the diverse membership of ARP. Together with the ACR’s Marketing & Communications Department, we kick off the 2025 term by promoting the annual Call for Volunteers and identifying areas with volunteer openings within ARP. We then carefully review all volunteer applications to ensure the most qualified candidates are selected for each position. Although we strive to assign volunteers to the positions they request, our commitment to enhancing diversity-thereby amplifying the representation of our membership-may sometimes lead us to recommend alternative volunteer roles to candidates.

What distinguishes this committee from others? Here are a few key points:

1. The committee chairperson role is automatically filled by the ARP’s immediate past president;
2. Conflict-of-interest considerations rarely revolve around financial issues. Instead, they primarily focus on personal relationships between committee members and volunteer applicants;
3. Committee members must remain mindful of biases because these can influence appointment decisions and impact the success of the College as a whole; and
4. Committee members become knowledgeable in using specific software programs, such as Confluence and OpenWater.

The Committee

The Nominations & Appointments Committee includes three of the four ARP officers: the past president, the president and the secretary. Each officer has prior leadership experience and is well-versed in the College’s current membership, operational priorities and strategic initiatives. This knowledge allows the committee to better identify gaps in the composition of the ARP, ACR and Rheumatology Research Foundation committees, fostering informed decisions when appointing new volunteers.

TESTIMONY FROM PRIOR NOMINATIONS & APPOINTMENT CHAIRS
Kori Dewing, DNP, ANP-BC, ARNP (ARP president 2022–23), says, “I think what was most fascinating to me was to see how beautifully, with applications representing such a diverse and passionate cohort of rheumatology professionals, we were able to fit the puzzle pieces together and shape committees that do so much good work. Year after year, we somehow find that secret sauce for success.”
Barbara A. Slusher, MSW, PA-C, DFAAPA, DipACLM (ARP president 2021–22), says, “The best part of ARP nominations is observing firsthand the richness of diversity, talent, skillfulness, intelligence, knowledge and experience of our members. Volunteers are the engine of the ARP, and it is an honor as a Nominations Committee member to match member’s talents to the best volunteer experience. In the end, the committee’s role is to ensure the future success of the organization that supports us in doing what we do best in our specialty/profession.”

Additionally, the committee includes three ARP members and one representative from the ACR, each serving three-year terms. Together, the committee is well equipped to ensure the best volunteer appointments for the College.

Conflicts of Interest

Every committee in the College is required to address conflicts of interest at each meeting. Typically, the most common conflict to manage is outside financial interests of volunteers, such as relationships with industry partners related to research activities or consultancy roles. However, in this committee, industry affiliations are rarely relevant to the work at hand. Instead, the Nominations & Appointments Committee primarily considers personal relationships between committee members and volunteer applicants when making assignment decisions. The potential for these relationships to influence assignment is mitigated by transparent discussions ensuring all committee members are involved in the decision-making process for each volunteer position.

Bias

The work of assigning volunteers to open positions involves evaluating all elements of an applicant- beyond just their professional background, demographics and interests. Such factors as geographic location, practice environment and prior relevant work experiences are also considered.

The committee strives to minimize bias when reviewing these very personal elements of each volunteer’s application. To promote an open and balanced discussion, an environment is provided in which committee members can share their perspectives and challenge each other’s observations. Specific forms of bias are kept in mind, including:

• Affinity bias, the inclination to prefer individuals who have similar interests, backgrounds and experiences to our own. Because of affinity bias, we tend to feel more comfortable around people who are like us;
• Implicit bias, the unconscious attitudes or internalized stereotypes that influence our perceptions, behaviors and decision making. These biases can be difficult for an individual to recognize and are often mitigated by team-based work; and
• Conformity bias, the tendency of individuals to change their beliefs, behaviors or opinions to align with those of a group. For example, imagine walking onto an elevator in which all three people inside are facing the back wall. What do you do? A classic example from the TV show Candid Camera demonstrated this: Every person who entered the elevator after the initial group aligned with those three people by facing the back wall, despite the usual conduct of facing the door. This behavior illustrated how conformity bias-driven by the desire to fit in or avoid conflict-can influence judgment and actions.

Technology

The committee’s work is supported by innovative technologies that streamline the volunteer application process. These include web-based platforms, such as Confluence and OpenWater. Confluence is commonly used by committees to create, share and organize content, such as meeting notes, project plans, documentation and other collaborative resources. It is valued for its ability to centralize information, making it easily accessible for all team members.

The OpenWater platform is designed to manage applications, awards and review processes. It helps the committee and staff efficiently assess applications, facilitating the complex task of filling each open committee position while considering the interests, skills and preferences of each applicant.

In Sum

The ARP Nominations & Appointments Committee plays an essential role in ensuring the appointments of qualified and diverse volunteers to all volunteer positions within the College. By leveraging technology, the committee efficiently organizes and expedites the application process while ensuring transparency and minimizing bias.

Through thoughtful consideration of conflicts of interest and a strong commitment to diversity, the committee fosters an inclusive environment that enhances the College’s effectiveness. Thanks to the combined expertise and careful deliberation of committee members, the most suitable candidates are selected to guide the ARP’s future success.

Learn how you can join the passionate professionals who guide the ACR, ARP and Foundation on the ACR’s Volunteer webpage.

Aileen Ledingham, PT, MS, PhD, is a physical therapist with research interests that focus primarily on knee osteoarthritis, specifically on how exercise and physical activity can help patients manage their condition and improve their quality of life. She also serves as past president of the ARP and chair of the Nominations & Appointments Committee.

Brendan Antiochos, MD, is an assistant professor of medicine in the Division of Rheumatology, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, and director of the Johns Hopkins Vasculitis Center. He serves as a member of the Nominations & Appointments Committee.