Committees

ISSVA Committees & Working Groups

Click on the link to review a description for each committee or working group.

Education Committee	Pathology Working Group	Meeting Planning Committee
Patient Support Committee	Scientific Committee	Classification Working Group
Social Media Committee

The committee application cycle for Winter 2024 has closed. Any applications submitted after 2 December 2024 will be considered for approval in Spring 2025. 

Definitions

Committees
Committees are established through the ISSVA bylaws as a collection of ISSVA members to such other committees and task forces as the Board shall deem appropriate. Such committees and task forces shall have the power and duties designated by the Board and shall give advice and make non-binding recommendations to the Board. Each committee will have a chair responsible for its direction, productivity, and meetings. 

Working Groups
Working groups are established as a group of ISSVA members who have a common interest that affects both the Society and the specialties not covered by either a committee or task force. Working groups are formed within committees as specific areas of interest and must be approved by the ISSVA president and president-elect, committee board liaison, and committee chair prior to formation. Each working group will have a lead responsible for its direction, productivity, and meetings. This lead will be selected by the committee chair in consultation with the Board Liaison, with approval from the President and President-Elect. The lead will be a member of the committee (ex: Pathology Lead will be a member of the Education Committee) who will meet four times annually for collaboration and idea-sharing.

Task Forces
The ISSVA President proposes, and Board approves, task forces to focus on a specific issue/challenge with a timeline to complete the work necessary. When the work is complete, the task force is dissolved. Each task force will have a chair responsible for its direction, productivity, and meetings. The Chair and the members will be determined by the President and President-Elect in consultation with the Board.

Committees, Working Groups, & Task Forces Reference Manual

The ISSVA Board of Directors has approved a Committees, Working Groups, and Task Forces Reference Manual which includes further information about the governance of these groups. This is a living document which will be updated as needed by the Board of Directors. Questions should be directed to info@issva.org or the individual committee chair or board liaison.

 

Education Committee

Chair:
TBA

Board Liaison:
Dr. Denise Adams

Purpose: 

• To plan educational related content, including but not limited to, new devices/techniques and communication.
• To provide ISSVA leaders and staff with guidance and direction on educational content and resources for ISSVA members.
• To encourage collaboration on educational efforts across ISSVA membership.
• Liaise with the Scientific Committee and Meeting Planning Committee to guarantee appropriate educational content at all meetings.

Responsibilities: 
The ISSVA Education Committee will explore new avenues to provide ISSVA members with the best possible educational resources including access to online services, new devices/techniques, communications, and meetings. In addition, the group explores collaborative efforts with other local, national and international EM organizations to provide educational resources and meetings to ISSVA members. 

Pathology Working Group

Lead:
Prof. Michel Wassef

• This working group will create educational programming and resources centered on pathology.

Additional working groups may be organized under the Education Committee to operationalize projects based on areas of interest related to education with the approval of the ISSVA President, Education Committee Board Liaison, and Education Committee Chair. 

Meeting Planning Committee

Chair & Board Liaison:
Dr. Annouk-Anne Bisdorff-Bresson

Purpose: 

• To plan all ISSVA meeting educational content other than Congress abstracts and posters (work of the Scientific Committee).
• To provide ISSVA leaders and staff with guidance and direction on meeting sites, structure, pricing, and social events.
• To evaluate meeting site interest, and recommend sites for meetings, based on criteria approved by the Board of Directors.

Responsibilities: 
This committee will plan the educational meetings of ISSVA other than the Congress scientific presentations. These include the pre-workshop educational sessions, breakfast sessions, and any additional free-standing ISSVA meeting(s) e.g. those dedicated to content updates, controversies, disease and management strategies. This committee will provide direction/guidance throughout the meeting planning process.

Patient Support Committee

Chair:
TBA

Board Liaison:
Prof. Dr. Leo Schultze Kool

Purpose: 

• To plan any patient advocacy related content, including but not limited to, events, webinars, and other programming. 
• To provide ISSVA leaders and staff with guidance and direction on patient needs and resources.
• To work with the Education Committee on educational programming for patient advocacy groups.

Responsibilities: 
The Patient Support (PS) Committee is a collaborative committee, which provides ISSVA leaders and staff with guidance and direction on patient needs, resources, and education. The PS Committee will plan any patient advocacy related content including events, webinars, and other programming either by direction of the ISSVA leadership or with approval of the ISSVA Board of Directors. The PS Committee will work with the Education Committee on educational programming for patient support groups.

Scientific Committee

Chair:
Dr. Dov Goldenberg

Board Liaison:
Dr. Miikka Vikkula

Members:
Eulalia Baselga
Gulraiz Chaudry
Anne Dompmartin
Shoshana Greenberger
Ionela Iacobas
Juan Carlos Lopez-Gutierrez
Thuy Phung
Miikka Vikkula
June Wu

Purpose:

• Based on the ISSVA bylaws, the Scientific Committee is responsible for determining the scientific program for Scientific Meetings with the guidance of the Board. The Scientific Committee consists of at least 5 members.
• In addition, the President and Secretary shall serve as ex officio members with voting rights.
• The Chair of the Scientific Committee is elected for a period of 4 years by the Board of Directors and ratified by the General Assembly. Re-election is possible.
• Other members of the Committee are appointed by and for terms determined by the Board, which may seek input from the full voting membership of the Society.

Classification Working Group

Lead:
Dr. Miikka Vikkula

At the request of the Board and Scientific Committee Chair, the Classification Working Group will convene from the Scientific Committee Membership to recommend updates to the ISSVA Classification. The Working Group will be responsible for advising the Board when updates are needed, and maintaining accurate information for the Classification.

Social Media Committee

Chair:
TBA

Board Liaison:
Dr. Gresham Richter

Purpose: 

• To recommend a plan and policy for ISSVA’s social media presence including platforms, content, and resources to the ISSVA Board of Directors.
• To provide ISSVA leaders and staff with guidance and direction on ISSVA social media.
• To work with the ISSVA Committees, Task Forces, and Working Groups to communicate upcoming events, projects, and plans as needed.
• To promote ISSVA’s journal, The Journal of Vascular Anomalies. 

Responsibilities: 
The Social Media Committee provides ISSVA leaders and staff with guidance and direction on ISSVA’s social media platforms. The Social Media Committee will plan any social media related content including the promotion of ISSVA events, webinars, and other programming either by direction of the ISSVA leadership or with approval of the ISSVA Board of Directors. The Social Media Committee will work with all ISSVA Committees, Task Forces, and Working Groups to gather related content on for posting. The Social Media Committee will also promote ISSVA’s Journal, The Journal of Vascular Anomalies, in consultation with the journal’s Editor-in-Chief.