Nominations & Voting
Child Life Council Board of Directors Elections
The CLC Board of Directors provides governance and oversight for CLC operations and initiatives. The role of each Board member is to act in the best interest of the organization as a whole and to exercise the legal and financial duties of stewardship. It is vital to the growth and success of the organization that strong and committed individuals are elected to leadership positions.
Based on recommendations from a special Governance Task Force in 2009, the CLC Board has endorsed a new approach to Board Elections. This best practice approach involves a formal and comprehensive process by which the Nominating Comimttee develops a final slate of recommended candidates to present to the membership. This slate of candidates will include one recommended individual for each available position.
For the 2010 election, the CLC Nominating Committee considered all candidates whose names were put forward during the nominations process. In order to be eligible for consideration, a candidate must be a Certified Child Life Specialist and a CLC member in good standing, with demonstrated leadership abilities and a history of active engagement in the organization and/or the child life profession.
New! 2010 SLATE OF CANDIDATES APPROVED BY THE CLC MEMBERSHIP
Thank you to all members with voting privileges who participated in the 2010 CLC Board of Directors Election. The Slate of Candidates as endorsed by the Nominating Committee was overwhelming approved.
2010 Board of Directors Position Descriptions
All Child Life Council Board of Director candidates must accept certain responsibilities and possess key qualifications to be considered for a position on the Board. General information about all Board of Director positions are outlined in detail at Board Positions. For Elections 2010, there are four available positions President-Elect, Secretary, and Director (two positions). Detailed position descriptions are available for review.
2010 Board of Directors Election Slate of Candidates
The Nominating Committee is pleased to recommend to the membership the slate of candidates for the positions of President-Elect, Secretary, and two Directors. The profiles highlight the candidates' qualifications and include a personal statement describing why they are looking forward to serving on the board and/or any skills and traits that will support their leadership role.
The following slate has ben endorsed and is recommended by the Nominating Committee:
President-Elect
Toni Millar, MS, CCLS
Secretary
Kristin Maier, CCLS
Directors
Lisa Ciarrocca, CCLS
Sharon Granville, MS, CCLS, CTRS, NCC
President-Elect
Three-Year Commitment, One Year Each Position:
- President- Elect June 2010 – June 2011
- President June 2011 – June 2012
- Past President June 2012 – June 2013
Toni Millar, MS, CCLS
Toni Millar is currently Director of the Child Life Department at Morgan Stanley Children’s Hospital of New York Presbyterian Hospital in New York City and oversees the Student Program (intern and practicum). While in this role, she also has served as an Adjunct Professor, (Fall Semester) at Bank Street College in New York City. Toni worked for over ten years at Rainbow Babies and Children’s Hospital in Cleveland, Ohio growing from her position as Certified Child Life Specialist, Surgical Unit and culminating as Director, Family and Child Life Services Department from 2000-2007. Toni received a Bachelors of Arts from Hobart/William Smith College in Geneva, NY in American Studies; N-6 Elementary Education Certification Eligible. She received a Master’s of Science from Wheelock College in Boston, MA with a Concentration: Child Life and Family Care. She is a Certified Child Life Specialist.
Toni’s volunteerism with the Child Life Council is extensive, including serving on the Executive Board as Member-At-Large, the Nomination Committee, the Clinical Supervision Task Force, the Conference Planning Committee, the Education Committee Member, the Child Life Certifying Committee and as a Focus Article Reader. She’s provided visionary leadership with roles including Co-Chair, Academic Summit Task Force, and Vision-to-Action strategic planning meeting. Other professional affiliations and leadership roles include the Child Life of Greater New York, Cleveland Bridge Builders (Leadership Institute), Child Life Association of Northeast Ohio, and ACCH.
Toni’s contributions to the field of child life are numerous including multiple presentations at Child Life Council conferences, co-authoring the clinical supervision position statement, and providing consultation on the “’Comfort Counts’ Program Workbook” (with RN VOICE). Her work “On the Front Lines: Lessons Learned In Implementing Multidisciplinary Peripheral Venous Access Pain-management Programs in Pediatric Hospitals” was recently published in Pediatrics (Volume 122, Supplement 5, Nov 2008). She has a history of leadership and team building success including having scored 100% in Employee Satisfaction Survey, Morgan Stanley Children’s Hospital, New York, NY and receiving the honor of “World’s Greatest Manager” Award from Gallup Organization. She brings a legacy of growth and development of child life programs with key skills in financial management, donor and grant acquisition.
Personal Statement
My commitment to the Child Life Council and the development of our profession has been steadfast since I became a member in 1995. I have proudly served the CLC as an executive board member, as well as a member of several committees, task forces and special focus groups. Reflectively, there has been a development parallel between my role as a child life professional and my Child Life Council involvement. As a child life specialist, I primarily provided clinical interventions directly to patients and their families. I then progressed to a leadership role as a child life director where I have provided strategic vision, advocacy, financial stability, and a team-approach to child life programming. My experience with the Child Life Council has similarly progressed, from initially being an involved member, to accepting a more active role in which I have increasingly taken on leadership roles. This progression has prepared me for this next step- to lead the CLC organization and become the CLC President-Elect, followed by the role of President.
Secretary
Two-Year Commitment: June 2010 - June 2012
Kristin Maier, CCLS
Kristin Maier currently works as Clinical Coordinator in the Child Life Department at All Children’s Hospital in St. Petersburg, Florida. Previous positions included Supervisor, Child Life Department, St. Joseph’s Children’s Hospital in Tampa, Florida where she also served as a Child Advocacy Instructor and Child Life Internship Coordinator.
Kristin’s journey to becoming a child life specialist began over 30 years ago when she had the privilege of accompanying her then 10-year-old brother while he was hospitalized for 8 weeks at a local children's hospital. They celebrated special days, created a calendar, a schedule; they provided opportunities for him to play and to express his emotions. It was then that she knew what she wanted to be.
Kristin received a Bachelor of Science in Children’s Services from Bowling Green State University completing a practicum in the Child Development Center and an internship at the Cleveland Clinic. Kristin has been actively involved in the Child Life Council since her student days, with recent leadership positions including serving as Conference Planning Chair (2009-2010) and Co-Chair, Sponsorship for the Local Conference Planning Committee (2007). Kristin is a founding member of the Florida Association of Child Life Professionals and has held offices of Secretary, President-elect and President.
Kristin is a Certified Child Life Specialist, Certified CPR instructor, and Certified Infant Massage Instructor. Kristin is an accomplished presenter in the field of child life having presented at numerous venues including Florida Association of Child Life Professionals, the International Cleft Palate Association Conference and Disney Children’s Pavilion at Florida Hospital. She also serves as a Board Member/Consultant for Pediatric Health Choice (2005-present).
Personal Statement
It is with great honor that I accept the nomination to serve as Secretary of the Board of Directors for the Child Life Council. The CLC is an organization that I am proud to be associated with and I am excited by this opportunity. I have a personal desire to support the growth and mission of the CLC and the child life profession. During my 22 years practicing as a CCLS I have been fortunate enough to grow and develop under the guidance of some strong role models and mentors. This guidance has helped shape my well-established beliefs, yet keep me humbly aware of my own opportunity for growth. My strong commitment to quality child life practice beginning with education, and my ongoing introspective thought about the profession and it’s implication for child life work, my strong work ethic, my general attention to detail and organizational skills along with my desire to continue in my own personal growth are all skills that will work well together to benefit the CLC’s Board of Directors leadership. I am proud of our profession and its current state and its potential for future success. I am grateful for the opportunity to be considered to serve the membership in this capacity.
Director (two positions)
Two-Year Commitment: June 2010 - June 2012
Lisa Ciarrocca, CCLS
Lisa Ciarrocca has provided leadership and program direction as the Child Life Manager at The Goryeb Children’s Hospital at Morristown Overlook Hospitals (Atlantic Health System) for ten years. Her previous work experience includes serving as Child Life Coordinator at The Children's Medical Center at Overlook Hospital in Summit, N.J. and Elizabeth General Medical Center in Elizabeth, N.J. Lisa received her Bachelor of Arts in Family/Child Studies from Montclair State University in Montclair, N.J. and completed her internship at Morristown Memorial Hospital. Lisa is a Certified Child Life Specialist and long-standing member of the Child Life Council, including having been recognized as Child Life Hero by Child Life Council (Spring 2004). Lisa was actively involved with the Association for the Care of Children's Health (ACCH), including serving on the Executive Board (Garden State Affiliate), as President for multiple terms and on the ACCH National conference planning committee.
Lisa’s other professional affiliations include the Child Life Directors of Greater NYC Inc., her work supporting the Valerie Fund for Children with Cancer and Blood Disorders and serving on the Advisory Board of the Liam’s Room Foundation. Lisa has presented and written on various topics to the child life and family-centered care community including the Institute for Family Centered Care International conference, CLGNY Annual conference on Professional Issues, Goryeb Children’s Hospital Pediatric conference, and numerous ACCH conferences.
Personal Statement
I look forward to serving on the board of CLC for many reasons. As our only professional organization, I value an organization that backs what I am passionate about. I feel it is important to be part of a team of professionals who all share the same common goal, which is to provide the best support for children and families. I am eager to share my skills as a Manager to help CLC achieve the goals they have put forth as an organization. I am an individual who takes in all the information presented, processes it, and problem solves together to get the best outcomes. I am constantly challenging myself and others to think outside the box. I have a broad knowledge and like to take visions of possibilities and likelihoods and create competitive strategies and plans. CLC shares my vision of creating an environment in which people are encouraged to do their best, and holds integrity at the highest regard.
Sharon Granville, MS, CCLS, CTRS, NCC
Sharon Granville currently is the Child Life Inpatient Supervisor in the Child Life and Creative Arts Therapy Department at The Mount Sinai Kravis Children’s Hospital in New York City. While in this role, she also works as an adjunct faculty member in the Child Life Master Degree Program at the Bank Street College of Education in New York City. Previously, Sharon was a child life specialist at Schneider Children’s Hospital at North Shore in Manhasset, NY for over thirteen years culminating with the position of Child Life Coordinator. Sharon received a Bachelor of Science in Therapeutic Recreation/Child Life from Springfield College in Springfield, MA and a Master of Science in School Counseling from Long Island University in Old Brookville, NY.
Sharon’s professional affiliations are expansive including not only the Child Life Council but also the Child Life of Greater New York (President 2008-2009), the Association for Death Education and Counseling, the National Council for Therapeutic Recreation Certification, and Operation Smile. For CLC, she most recently served as an abstract reader for the 2010 Annual Conference and currently serves on the Education and Training Committee. Sharon has presented and led sessions at numerous conferences including CLC, CLGNY, National School Counselor’s Association, and the Celebrating Pediatric Nursing Conference. She is a Certified Child Life Specialist, a Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist, a Nationally Certified Counselor, and is currently pursuing mental health counselor licensure.
Personal Statement
I look forward to the opportunity to serve the Child Life Council membership in supporting and guiding our profession during such a pivotal time of growth. As clinician, supervisor and educator I am given a unique perspective into our field; a view that I will incorporate into my role on the CLC board. I am excited to bring my passion for child life, reflective practice, the enjoyment of collaboration, the art of patience, and vision to my role of Director (formerly member-at-large). I truly feel it is an honor to participate on the national board of my profession and I thank my child life colleague for nominating me and the nomination committee for the opportunity.