join the committee

Recommended list of duties for each committee and workgroup

 

Executive Committee

• Approve all contractual matters related to the conference (e.g., the conference center and hotel staff, keynote speakers, printer, speaker gifts, hotels, AV, webmaster, conference bags, etc.)

• Contract with conference coordinator

• Contract for registration management

• Plan and finalize food and beverage for conference; finalize numbers for caterer/conference center

• Select committee members for conference on-site logistics team and to introduce conference plenary speakers

• Work with Columbia Visitor’s Center to select preferred hotels

• Develop and confirm room list for VIP hotel

• Approve content and processes needed to update the conference website

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Planning Committee*

• Select conference theme

• Identify tracks and categories of priority workshops

• Identify number of keynote speakers and brainstorm candidates

• Check availability of all potential keynote speakers (certain members often volunteer to contact the requested speakers for their availability) – Please note: Executive Committee members contact to negotiate and confirm keynotes with assistance from the Conference Coordinator)

• Serve as session moderators and door monitors at conference

• Offer input on selection of conference bags

• Offer input on food and beverage selections

• Promote the conference and distribute registration brochures (and Sponsor/Exhibitor brochures)

* Each planning committee member is expected to serve on one or more of the workgroups.

 

Workgroups

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Hospitality

• Select and acquire gifts for keynote speakers

• Prepare/distribute cell phone contact list of committee members for conference day use

• Confirm the arrival and departure time for all keynote speakers

• Make logistical arrangements for all keynotes speakers and ensure that they receive the conference schedule

• Explore/suggest/purchase speaker gifts

• Explore/suggest/purchase conference bag options

 

Marketing

• Assist with promoting/educating the community about the conference

• Explore and identify the best and emerging social media tools to promote the conference in order to facilitate and increase conference registrations and engage conference participants in on-site conference activities. Some suggested tools include Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Instagram, etc.

• Recruit media professionals to serve on, to teach, and to assist with marketing and educating the community about the conference.

• Develop a marketing and communications action plan by April of each year that includes outreach to the media, professional organizations, health care providers, colleges and universities, faith based and other community organizations

• Execute the marketing and communications action plan by June of each year that includes outreach to the media, professional organizations, health care providers, colleges and universities, faith based and other community organizations

• Encourage social media presence/interaction during the conference.

 

PLWHA Scholarships

• Develop and finalize scholarship application materials/form; set deadlines

• Distribute scholarship application materials/forms; submit to conference coordinator for posting to website

• Review and approve scholarship applications

• Notify scholarship recipients

• Assign ‘Conference Buddies’ to scholarship recipients

• Provide information on scholarship recipients to the Conference Registrar

 

Program

• Develop and distribute Call for Proposals, in order to identify potential concurrent speakers for priority topics

• Receive proposals and all supporting documentation from potential concurrent workshop speakers. Review, accept, or reject workshop proposals.

• Develop/create a strong, innovative, and well-balanced program of educational concurrent session for the SC HIV/STD/VH Conference

• Confirm all keynote speakers with assistance from conference coordinator

• Identify sessions and speakers to fill any remaining slots (review CEU needs); contact speakers (conference coordinator)

• Notify approved speakers (conference coordinator)

• Assign workshops to available rooms based on track/CEU needs

• Develop and finalize Registration Brochure (with assistance from conference coordinator and Executive Committee)

• Review previous conference evaluation results (received from AHEC)

• Review conference committee final report (from conference debrief meeting)

• Identify/receive printer bids and print Registration Brochure (with assistance from conference coordinator and Executive Committee)

• Distribute Registration Brochure through mail, electronically and through website (with assistance from Mid-Carolina AHEC and conference coordinator)

• Negotiate AV contract and finalize (with conference coordinator and Executive Committee)

• Develop Program Brochure (with assistance from conference coordinator and Executive Committee)

• Develop room layout for sessions and confirm with convention center (with assistance from conference coordinator)

• Make the recommendation to Executive Committee regarding AV needs (with assistance from conference coordinator)

• Review and approve the draft program brochure

• Confirm AV needs and rooms layout to AV provider

• Review and approve printer bids for the Program Brochure

• Submit speaker information to the Conference Coordinator to arrange travel for keynoters

• Submit speaker information and to AHEC for moderators’ packets (conference coordinator)

• Identify/confirm session moderators (conference coordinator with Planning Committee)

 

Sponsors and Exhibitors

• Brainstorm sponsorship possibilities

• Track sponsorship “asks”/requests

• Review and update sponsors/exhibitors list

• Follow up with sponsors and exhibitors post conference to thank them for their support

• Provide pre-conference and on-site support to sponsors and exhibitors

• Develop and distribute exhibitors/sponsors brochure (with assistance from conference coordinator) and submit to conference coordinator for posting to website

• Develop exhibit hall layout and confirm with convention center

• Provide guidance to exhibitors; Send list of do’s and don’ts for Exhibitor Set-up at conference

• Provide information regarding exhibitors to the Conference Registrar

 

Student Scholarships

• Develop and finalize scholarship application materials/form; set deadlines

• Distribute scholarship application materials/forms; submit to conference coordinator for posting to website

• Review and approve scholarship applications

• Notify scholarship recipients

• Conduct conference overview on day(s) of conference for students if necessary

• Provide information on scholarship recipients to the Conference Registrar

 

Staff

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Conference Coordinator

• Coordinate the development of content and recommend processes needed to update the conference website

• Coordinate the process for communicating with and receiving monthly updates from each conference workgroup chair

• Record meeting notes from the Executive and Planning committee meetings

• Identify and coordinate meeting schedules, meeting space, and conference calls with assistance from the Executive Committee

• Seek printer bids and coordinate the printing of the Exhibitors/Sponsors Brochure

• Seek printer bids and coordinate the printing of the Program Brochure

• Make/confirm travel arrangements for keynote speakers (and other guests if applicable)

• Submit speaker information to AHEC for moderators’ packets (conference coordinator)

• Coordinate/arrange travel for keynote speakers

• Submit speaker information to AHEC for moderators’ packets

• Coordinate the process and follow up as needed to receive the conference evaluation from AHEC, prior to the conference debrief meeting

 

What do you expect of me as a planning committee member?

• Contribute to the planning of the Conference in your respective role/committee/ workgroup

• Attend scheduled in-person meetings and conference calls (please note that the schedule of calls/meetings are coordinated by Executive Committee, Workgroup Chairs and the Conference Coordinator)

• Each workgroup will vary in their “busy” times, but it will be common to have at least a monthly call with your workgroup (determined by the best time for the majority of the full committee)

• Respond to all correspondence in a timely manner and consistently communicate project progress through e-mail and conference call attendance.

• Remain open, flexible, and enthusiastic about the dynamic nature of the event

• Seek out opportunities to enrich the conference agenda and approach tasks creatively

• Share (openly, professionally and honestly) any personal or professional challenges experienced as part of this committee

• Maintain a sense of humor, even when things get stressful, and a willingness to have lots of fun!!!

• Attend the Conference (arrive early and stay late)

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MORE ABOUT THE CONFERENCE

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The SC HIV/STD/VH Conference is historically the largest annual conference focused on HIV, STDs, and Viral Hepatitis in our state.  Building on the rich 35-year tradition, the conference brings together prevention, care, advocates, providers, CBOs, ASOs, PLWHA,  non-profit professionals, and others to learn and share effective practices, improve personal skills and organizational strategies, discover opportunities and resources, exchange stories, be inspired and challenged to sustain our efforts.

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Our Mission

The mission of this interdisciplinary conference is to provide opportunities for professionals and community members to engage in dialogue and share past successes, best practices, common concerns, and hopes for the future. In response to the overlapping epidemics of HIV, STDs and Viral Hepatitis, it is essential to build on successful prevention, treatment and care strategies.

 

Conference Goals

To facilitate an environment in which Participants can:   

• learn about new developments in HIV, STD, and Viral Hepatitis prevention, care and treatment;

• discuss cutting-edge strategies and applications that are responsive to the needs of individuals and communities;

• discover current and emerging policy issues and trends and their relationship to education, prevention and care;

• develop the skills needed to address the multidimensional factors that influence behavior and risk reduction efforts;

• exchange personal and community resources for professional and lay caregivers;

• create opportunities for involvement of communities impacted by HIV, STDs and Viral Hepatitis;

• highlight strategies for movement along the HIV, STD and viral hepatitis continum of care; and

• engage in networking exchange with conference attendees and exhibitors.

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Conference Objectives

In the context of HIV, STD, and Viral Hepatitis, by the end of the conference, participants will be able to:

• describe risk behaviors, target populations and emerging trends in their community;

• identify effective high impact prevention interventions;

• identify and discuss associated co-morbidities;

• identify strategies to enhance comprehensive care including education, counseling, screening, as well as linkages to, retention in, and re-engagement in care and treatment;

• identify challenges to the integration of prevention, intervention, clinical services and resources that support them; and

• discuss effective advocacy and strategies for policy and other structural changes.