SAGES

Reimagining surgical care for a healthier world

Chair/Co-Chair Orientation

Congratulations!

We welcome you to the leadership level of what you already know is a dynamic, innovative and forward-thinking society. We take great pride in the accomplishments of SAGES, and in the volunteer leaders and committee members that make those accomplishments possible.

This site is designed to “get you up to speed” as a committee Chair/Co-Chair. We urge you to review each and every link. The more educated you become regarding the functions and structure of the Society, the more effective you will be as a Chair/Co-Chair.

There are a few CRITICAL responsibilities incumbent upon you as a Chair/Co-Chair:

  • Remain in regular contact with the Executive Committee member overseeing your committee. A link to the oversight chart is below.  You will receive formal reminders to debrief your Exec contact on your committee’s activities during summer months, in the fall, in January, and at SAGES.  However, you should use this relationship as an on-going sounding board to discuss significant new or proposed projects and/or outside partnerships as they arise.
  • Committee Chairs are asked to report to the SAGES Board on Wednesday of the annual meeting week, and in mid-November for the SAGES Fall Board meeting (not all committee chairs will report).  More information will be sent to you via email when applicable.
  • Partner with your SAGES Staffer(s). The staff liaison on your committee can be an invaluable resource. As a trained project manager, they will help manage schedules, workflow and committee members in their tasks and projects. Staffers handle the logistics of meetings, help prepare agendas, and can coordinate efforts internally and with other committees and outside vendors as needed.  If you or your staffer is new, please take a moment to get to know each other and to discuss preferred ways of working together (e.g. status updates, regular check in meetings, best times/ways to reach you, etc.).
  • Engage your committee members. Ideally ensure each member has a role and clear responsibilities within the committee. SAGES committees meet twice a year – in the fall and on the Tuesday prior to the annual meeting week in the spring.

SAGES Fall 2022 Committee Meetings are TBD. The date and time of your meeting will be sent to you via email.

  • Coordinate with SAGES overall fundraising efforts. Please do not initiate any outreach with industry or other potential donors/sponsors before you contact SAGES Development Director, Shelley Ginsberg.
  • Be mindful of budget policies and procedures. Each spring, you will participate in preparing your committee’s budget in conjunction with your staffer. Once the budget is approved through the Exec Committee and Board, we ask that you adhere to it closely. A few other policy guides:
    • Please follow the SAGES Travel and Reimbursement policy, which is linked below. We are a lean organization and we appreciate your help in keeping SAGES fiscally responsible.
    • Even if surplus budget remains, please seek approval of major new initiatives or significant changes in projects/goals through the proper channels. Your Exec Committee Contact can advise on the appropriate next steps.
  • Support the SAGES Foundation!
  • Take the FUSE Exam.

Your knowledge, experience and commitment to SAGES are some of the attributes that led to your selection as Committee Chair/Co-Chair. For those same reasons, we look forward to all that your committee will accomplish under your leadership.

On behalf of the SAGES family, THANK YOU!

Background

SAGES, the Society of American Gastrointestinal and Endoscopic Surgeons, was founded in 1981. Representing a worldwide community of more than 7,000 surgeons, SAGES seeks to bring excellence in and access to minimally invasive surgery (MIS) and emerging techniques to patients around the globe.

  • Our Vision – Reimagining surgical care for a healthier world
  • Our Mission – Innovate, educate, and collaborate to improve patient care

Key Partners

The SAGES Education & Research Foundation

The SAGES Education & Research Foundation was created with the vision of a healthcare world in which all operative procedures are accomplished with the least possible physical trauma, discomfort, and loss of productive time for the patient. The SAGES Foundation achieves its mission by supporting reproducible scientific research, graduate and postgraduate education, and public information. For information, visit www.sagesfoundation.org.

Surgical Endoscopy

Surgical Endoscopy is the official journal of the Society of American Gastrointestinal and Endoscopic Surgeons (SAGES). Surgical Endoscopy represents the surgical aspects of interventional endoscopy, ultrasound, and other techniques in the fields of gastroenterology, obstetrics, gynecology, and urology, as well as in gastroenterologic, thoracic, traumatic, orthopedic, and pediatric surgery. It offers a worldwide forum for discussion of aspects of interventional endoscopy and ultrasound as integral elements of surgical practice. It also affords the international surgical community a focal point for the exchange of information on practice, theory, and research in various medical and surgical disciplines. EAES (Our European sister society) is our partner in the journal, and Springer Nature is our publisher.  Please review articles for the journal when asked. For more information, visit www.sages.org/publications/journals.

Structure

Appendix

SAGES Staff Contact List

  • Carrie Ahern
    Annual Meeting Program, Faculty, Registrar and Housing
  • Deborah Beck
    Fundamentals Test Center On-Boarding
  • Kailee Beckwith
    Fundamentals Administrative Assistant
  • Dan Berlant
    Abstract Services
  • Dee Berry
    Senior Membership Coordinator, Committee staffer for Community Practice Committee, Hernia Committee, and Membership Committee
  • Inga Brissman
    Committee staffer for FLS Committee, Education Committee (Assessment & Program Evaluation)
  • Carla Bryant
    Membership Director, Committee staffer for Membership Committee
  • Holly Ann Burt
    SAGES Librarian
  • Vanessa Cheung
    Senior Administrative Coordinator, Committee Staffer for Resident & Fellow Training
  • Sarah Colon
    Fundamentals Coordinator, Test Center Manager, Committee Staffer for FUSE and Guidelines Committee
  • Loryn Dager-Gordon
    IT and Abstracts Coordinator
  • Dale Dullabaun
    Accounting
  • Colleen Elkins
    Executive Director, SAGES Education and Research Foundation
  • Viera Ewell
    Committee Staffer for Awards Committee, Pediatric Committee, and Resident and Fellow Training Committee; Meeting Planner
  • Michelle Freeland
    Senior Annual Meeting Planner
  • Lauren Frenkel
    Committee staffer for Advocacy and Health Policy Committee, Research & Career Development, and Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Committee
  • Shelley Ginsberg
    Development Director, Committee Staffer for Development Committee and Technology Council
  • Marissa de Guzman
    Accounting
  • Monia Ilunga
    Committee Staffer for Foregut Committee, HPB/SO Task Force, Safe Chole Committee
  • Melody Jacobs
    Committee staffer for Continuing Education
  • Lindsay Jacoby
    Graphic design
  • Jillian Kelly
    Robotics Fellows Courses, Consensus Conferences, Committee staffer for Artificial Intelligence Task Force, Robotics Committee.
  • Heidi Kim
    Fundamentals Administrative Assistant
  • Jason Levine
    IT Director, Webmaster, Committee staffer for Communications Committee.
  • Kim McHugh
    Instructional Design Specialist
  • Sallie Matthews
    Executive Director, Committee staffer for Board, Executive Committee Finance Committee, Nominating Committee, Program Committee, and new projects
  • Christelle Menetrier
    Fundamentals Coordinator of International Projects
  • Julie Miller
    Marketing and Public Relations, Committee staffer for Communications Committee and Reimagining the Practice of Surgery Task Force
  • Jessica Mischna
    Fundamentals Director, Committee staffer for FES Committee and FLS Committee
  • Jacqueline Narvaez
    Committee staffer for Global Affairs Committee
  • Nathaniel Piha
    Executive Assistant,   Committee Staffer for Ethics Committee and Bylaws Committee
  • Vanessa Pryor
    Fundamentals IT Project Manager, OWLS Project Oversight,  Committee Staffer for Education Committee (Business & Technology)  and Surgical Data Science Committee
  • Suzanne Quon
    Committee staffer for Acute Care Surgery Task Force, Education Council, and Diversity, Leadership and Professional Development Task Force and Resident & Fellow Training
  • Roland Ronquillo
    Accounting and Membership
  • Ed Rosado
    IT Project Manager, Annual Meeting IT and AV, Committee staffer for Educational Resources Committee, Military Committee, and Publications Committee
  • Linda Schultz
    Associate Executive Director, Committee staffer for Education Council
  • Erin Schwarz
    CME Consultant, ADOPT Hands On Course Coordinator, Committee staffer for Colorectal Committee, Conflict of Interest Committee, Continuing Education Committee, and Quality, Outcomes Safety Committee
  • Catherine Sutherland
    Committee staffer for Flexible Endoscopy Committee, Oncology Committee and TAVAC Committee
  • Brian Tolman
    Web developer
  • Nicole Von Husen
    Hands On Course Lead
  • Hillary Wagener
    Development/Exhibits Assistant
  • Anna Wick
    Database Management