The 2024 California Breastfeeding Summit will be here before you know it! We are looking for volunteers for the virtual event, which takes place from Jan. 23-25 through the Whova event app.
We are specifically looking for volunteers to review abstracts and award nominations, and to moderate our plenary sessions and workshops.
Our committees are running differently this year. Not only do we have a need for fewer volunteers than in years past, we also will have fewer required planning meetings. We know the months leading up to the Summit are busy for you, and we can’t do this big job without you! Out of gratitude for your volunteer support, the California Breastfeeding Coalition is offering volunteers in the following roles their choice of either a free registration to the event, or a group discount for their organization to allow more members to attend.
Here is an explanation of the available roles and anticipated commitment:
- Reviewers for speaker and poster abstracts — Abstracts will be solicited in June and July. Reviewers must be available the entire month of August to review the abstracts using a rubric we provide. If there are gaps in the program after abstracts are approved and reviewed, we ask you to provide suggestions for additional speakers or presenters to invite, which will take place in September. Your committee work will end on or before Oct. 9.
- Reviewers for Awards Submissions — The Summit is our annual opportunity to recognize the efforts and accomplishments of those who are working to protect, promote and support lactation throughout the state. The committee reviews the applications following a provided rubric and votes to select the winners in October. A committee representative will present the award to the winners during a recorded virtual session in November. Your committee work will take place from mid-September to mid-November.
- Plenary Moderators — We are looking for volunteers to moderate our plenary sessions, which includes introducing the speaker (recorded in the fall), and facilitating live Q&A at the end of the session through the Whova app. Though experience with being on camera in this capacity is nice, we will provide training on live and recorded video presentation skills, and in-home studio set-up to provide you and our attendees with the best possible event experience. Attendance at the Summit is required for this role, because some questions might seek clarity based on prior sessions. The number of sessions you moderate will depend on our total number of volunteers. We usually have about 11 sessions total. All moderators will be required to attend a single training session in the fall. You’ll record all introductions in the fall. From there, your presence and participation during the Summit is all that’s required.
- Workshop Moderators — Workshop moderators are the glue that holds our interactive skill-building workshops together. You will introduce the speakers, facilitate live Q&A in the chat and support the success of the session. We typically have around 10 workshops. All moderators will be required to attend a single training session in the fall. You’ll also need to introduce yourself to your assigned speaker in the fall to find out how to best work with them. From there, your presence and participation during the Summit is all that’s required.
To volunteer for the Summit in one of the roles listed above, please complete and submit this online application. Due to the smaller size of our committee this year, not all applicants will be selected. We recommend applying early.