Local chapter update: Amazing network of CDI professionals pull off remote events

April 23, 2020
CDI Strategies - Volume 14, Issue 17

These past few days and weeks have been a whirlwind of activity. As local chapters have postponed or canceled their events in light of the COVID-19 pandemic, we’ve seen chapter volunteers come together to offer new and innovative networking solutions. Here’s how some of this has shaken out:

  • Arizona had more than 70 attendees
  • Wisconsin nearly 400 attendees
  • Texas had 236 attendees
  • Northwest/Oregon had nearly 550 attendees
  • Georgia had 55 attendees
  • Michigan had 416 attendees

Forgive us if we’ve missed anyone here but the bottom line is that CDI professionals across the country are looking for ways to keep up with their continuing education and are excited about the opportunities to network with one another even if it is via a virtual platform.

One of the interesting sessions came from Georgia ACDIS chapter which purchased a Zoom membership for the year to leverage for its meetings and enlisted the help of an IT guru to assist during the event to make sure everything ran smoothly. Many of us have participated on Zoom events either for our churches, children’s classrooms, or socially with friends during the pandemic.

The Georgia chapter leadership’s use of the platform not only for the educational portion but for local chapter networking made the half-day program extremely interactive and fun. Attendees were chatting in the platform and volunteer moderators brought forward salient points to the speakers when necessary. There was robust conversation with a panel of professional on current COVID-19 concerns within the CDI industry. Some folks even had fun with virtual backgrounds.

As COVID-19 changes business as usual, local chapter leaders are answering the call to help provide our community with just that—community. Join your local chapter today. Reach out, volunteer, or offer to host or present.

The following is a list of upcoming events for ACDIS local chapters. If you have an upcoming event you would like to include, please email Melissa Varnavas (mvarnavas@acdis.org) and Carolyn Riel (criel@acdis.org).  

April:

  • The Washington Evergreen ACDIS chapter even slated for Friday, April 24, has been canceled. For information, contact the chapter leadership team (evergreenACDIS@gmail.com).
  • The Virginia ACDIS chapter event slated for Saturday, April 25, 7:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m., has been postponed. More details to follow. For information, contact Denice Shelton (denice_shelton@bshsi.org).
  • The St. Louis Missouri ACDIS chapter event slated for Wednesday, April 29, has been postponed until July. For information, contact Pam Bulfer (pamela.bulfer@ssmhealth.com).
  • The New Orleans ACDIS chapter event slated for Thursday, April 30, has been canceled. For information, contact Judi Dowling (judith.dowling@ochsner.org).

May:

  • The New Orleans ACDIS chapter meets Thursday, May 7, 4 p.m., via webinar. For information, contact Judi Dowling (judith.dowling@ochsner.org).
  • The Florida ACDIS chapter event slated for Saturday, May 16, has been canceled. For information, contact Edna Betances-Harold (betane@shands.ufl.edu).