America’s Blood Centers (ABC) recently unveiled two new initiatives: the ABC Women’s Executive Leadership Community (WELC) and the ABC Council of States. The WELC is a complimentary offering open to all employees of ABC member blood centers and industry partners. Through this initiative, ABC strives to empower leaders in the blood community through networking and professional development. WELC is the first of several programs planned within ABC’s Executive Leadership Initiative, a key component of the ABC 2023-2026 Strategic Plan. By leveraging a diverse set of opinions and experiences, WELC drives action towards a supportive and inclusive blood community, benefiting individuals, employers, and ultimately the patients that rely on a safe and available blood supply. WELC will have virtual offerings to help build a diverse pipeline of leaders, creating a network where leaders feel supported.
ABC encourages individuals to join WELC and its LinkedIn Community, while sharing this information with those who may be interested.
The ABC Council of States has been developed to reflect the increasing importance of state-based advocacy as a wide variety of legislative and regulatory issues continue to impact community blood centers throughout the country. While ABC currently supports state-based advocacy through in-person workshops, a CollABOrate community, and bill tracking, the Council is a first-of-its kind initiative to convene member blood center representatives to conduct this work in a unified manner. Through the Council, ABC seeks to convene member blood centers to identify proactive state-based advocacy priorities, learn best practices, and monitor state legislation and regulations that impact community blood centers. This effort further amplifies the ongoing state-by-state lobbying activities and strategies of member blood centers, while demonstrating the power of our collective synergies and strength when we work together.
ABC plans to roll out this program in the fall with the first in-person meeting of the Council scheduled for the 2024 ABC Annual Meeting. Contact us for more information on both the ABC WELC and Council of States.