CBDCE is pleased to provide this information about its eligibility requirements for nomination, governance structure, and board responsibilities to consider before making a decision to apply for a position on the Board of Directors.

This page also provides very important information about what's needed as part of the Board application and provides the link to the application.

Board applications will be accepted from April 1 through June 1, 2025 (5:00 pm CT).

The composition of the CBDCE Board of Directors (Board) is identified in the organization's bylaws:
The number of “Professional Discipline” Directors shall be no more than eleven voting members. These shall consist of at least nine active status Certified Diabetes Care and Education Specialists (CDCESs) to include at least two registered nurses, two registered dietitians/dietitian nutritionists, one pharmacist, one provider (MD, DO, PA, NP), and one “other” professional. The additional two members can come from any discipline. The “other” professional category includes any discipline other than registered nurse, registered dietitian/dietitian nutritionist, pharmacist, or provider (MD, DO, PA, NP). In addition, a public member also serves on the Board. 

Board openings - Certified Individuals
For the 2025 election, with a term of service starting January 1, 2026 for those elected, we're looking to fill the following CDCES seats: two (2) open positions. The open positions can be a CDCES from any discipline. Individuals elected will serve a four-year term.

All applicants for the CDCES seats must be diabetes care and education specialists holding active certification with CBDCE.

Board opening - Public Member
The Board of Directors will be looking to fill the Public Member seat with the term of service starting January 1, 2026 as well.

What is a public member and who qualifies to serve as a public member?
The Board includes a Public Member whose role is to advocate for patients of CDCESs (and BC-ADMs) and the general public, ensuring high standards, be a sounding board from a non-medical standpoint, and a concerned person with a diabetes advocate background who listens for ‘red flag’ issues. The Public Member will have knowledge of what a CDCES (and BC-ADM) does, have leadership experience, and interest in the future delivery of diabetes care and education. The Public Member is not a diabetes care and education specialist or provider of advanced diabetes management. The Public Member is not a Certified Diabetes Care and Education Specialist (active, inactive, or retired status) and does not hold the BC-ADM certification.

According to the current National Commission for Certifying Agencies (NCCA) Standards for the Accreditation of Certification Programs, the public or consumer member should NOT be any of the following:

• a current or previous member of the profession, occupation, role, or specialty area encompassed by the program;
• a supervisor, manager, direct co-worker, employee, or subordinate of individuals in the profession encompassed by the program;
• an employee of an individual certified by the certification program or of an employer of individuals in the profession encompassed by the program; or
• a person who currently receives or within the last five years has received income from the profession encompassed by the program.

The primary focus of the Board is oversight of the certification program for diabetes care and education specialists, which includes the development, execution and evaluation of the organization’s strategic plans and initiatives; the development, allocation and review of appropriate financial resources to support the activities of CBDCE; the development, review and approval of organizational policies and procedures to ensure successful administration of CBDCE’s programs; and participation in the selection and performance evaluation of the Chief Executive Officer. Directors also serve on committees and special task forces related to certification issues. Management and operation of the CBDCE national office are overseen by CBDCE’s Chief Executive Officer.

CDCESs who serve on the Board receive an extension of their certification expiration date on an annual basis until their full term is completed. At that time, a final extension of the expiration date is made for two full years, with recertification needed in the third year after the end of the term.

During term of office and for two years after completing board tenure, directors may not participate in the development or presentation of review courses, study guides, or any materials designed primarily for examination review purposes.

Understanding and appreciation of the responsibilities and commitments necessary to serve effectively are of critical importance before making the decision to apply. CBDCEs Board of Directors Role Description provides an overview of the responsibilities and expectations of those elected to serve on the Board. You'll also want to review the CBDCE Bylaws.

• Review the Board of Directors Role Description.
• Review the CBDCE Bylaws.
• Add @cbdce.org to your safe senders or friends list for your email account.
• For CDCES Seats, complete the online application. Once you start the application, you'll need to complete it all in one sitting. Read the information below and pull your information, responses, and documents together before you start the application. Then, when you're all ready, click here to access the form.  
• Quick Tip: As you must complete the application in one sitting, applicants are strongly encouraged to prepare their statements/answers to questions in a separate document and transfer to the application when applying.

 

For the Board application for CDCES seats, you'll need to have the following information/responses and documents ready:

• For Section B - CDCES Certification (see certificate, wallet card or CDCES portal):

1. CDCES Number (8 digits)
2. Year of Initial Certification
3. Year Recertified (if applicable)
4. Expiration Date

• For Section C - Education Background:

1. Highest Academic Level Achieved
2. Degree Earned/Year Conferred
3. College/University with City and State
4. Major Area of Study

• For Section D - Professional Experience in Diabetes Care and Education:

1. Practice Setting for Present Employment
2. Average Number of Hours Per Week Spent Providing Diabetes Care and Education
3. Total Years Experience
4. Description of Work/Volunteer Experience as a CDCES (max of 100 words)
5. Description of Skills and Training You Possess that Qualify You to Be a Director of CBDCE (max of 100 words)

• For Section E - Professional Activities (positions/offices held with dates):

1. National Diabetes Care and Education Activities
2. State/Local Diabetes Care and Education Activities within last 10 years
3. Other Board/Committee Activities within last 5 years
4. Key Initiatives with Previous Activities (max of 150 words)
5. Other Relevant Activities Positions/Offices Held within last 5 years

• For Section F - Active Professional Memberships: Name of organizations
• For Section G - Applicant Statements (answers to the following questions - see Quick Tip above):

1. Why are you interested in serving on the CBDCE Board? (max of 150 words)
2. How do you define the role of a CDCES? (max of 150 words)
3. How does your professional experience reflect your leadership abilities? (max of 150 words)
4. What professional roles have required you to participate as a team member; what did you learn about the concept of teamwork in those roles? (max of 200 words)
5. What are the top 3 current challenges and opportunities that exist for the CDCES in today's health care environment; how do you see those evolving (if so), in the next 5-7 years? (max of 250 words)
6. What are the top 3 challenges facing CBDCE during the next 3-5 years; what are some strategies to help CBDCE meet these challenges? (max of 250 words)

• For Submission Page - Document Uploads*, you'll need to have these three documents ready to upload to the Submission page of the application:

1. Current curriculum vitae or resume
2. Two (2) letters of recommendation from persons knowledgeable about your professional practice experience and activities in diabetes care and education

*All required uploads must accompany the application.  Note: File format must be .doc, .docx, or .pdf.

• Review the Board of Directors Role Description.
• Review the CBDCE Bylaws.
• Add @cbdce.org to your safe senders or friends list for your email account.
• Click here to download a fillable application for the public member position. 
• Complete and submit application via mail or email by June 1, 2025.

The application submission window will be open April 1, 2025 through June 1, 2025 (5:00 pm CT).