Board of Commissioners
The Commission is governed by a board whose seats are defined by role, not by who was available. Practitioners, educators, employers, a standards expert and members of the public share the table, and no single constituency holds a majority.
What the Commissioners decide, and what they do not
The Board of Commissioners is the governing body of ICPCAS. It adopts the accreditation standards, sets policy and fees, approves the budget, appoints the Executive Director and holds the organization to its mission.
The Board does not review individual applications. Accreditation decisions are made by the Accreditation Review Committee, a body of trained reviewers and commissioners that applies the standards to each program's evidence. Appeals are heard by a separate Appeals Panel whose members had no part in the original decision. This separation keeps the people who write the rules from also judging the cases.
Nine seats, defined by role
Seats are set by the bylaws so that the Board cannot drift toward any one interest group. The two public-member seats and the one standards seat can never be held by anyone with a financial interest in a care training or certification organization.
| Seat | Count | Who may hold it | Why it exists |
|---|---|---|---|
| Practitioner | 3 | Practicing doulas, newborn care specialists, lactation educators, perinatal mental health supporters and, as divisions open, end-of-life doulas and menopause coaches | Standards must reflect how the work is actually done |
| Educator | 1 | Faculty or directors of care training programs; recused from reviews of affiliated programs | Standards must be teachable and assessable |
| Employer / health system | 1 | Hospitals, agencies, community organizations and insurers that rely on credentials | Accreditation must answer the questions employers ask |
| Public member | 2 | Parents, consumer advocates and others with no financial tie to care training, certification or employment of practitioners | Families are the ultimate client |
| Standards & measurement | 1 | Experts in accreditation methodology, assessment or program evaluation | Reviews must be valid and consistent |
| Multilingual & international programs | 1 | Leaders of programs delivered outside the U.S. or in languages other than English | Standards must travel |
Commissioners
Nine Commissioners, listed by officer role and then by seat. Terms are staggered so that no more than half of the Board turns over in any one year.
Presides over the Commission and the Executive Committee. A public member holds no financial interest in any care training, certification or employer organization.
Represents practicing doulas and chairs the Standards Committee's perinatal working group.
Oversees financial controls, the annual audit and public financial disclosures.
Brings curriculum design and adult-education expertise; recuses from any review involving an affiliated program.
Represents perinatal mental health supporters and advises on scope-of-practice and referral standards.
Represents hospitals, agencies and community organizations that hire accredited-program graduates.
A parent and consumer advocate with no professional ties to care training or certification.
Expert in accreditation methodology, assessment validity and program evaluation.
Represents programs delivered outside the United States or in languages other than English, including Mandarin and Spanish.
Where the work is done
Standards Committee
Drafts and revises accreditation standards on a five-year cycle, runs public comment periods and convenes discipline-specific working groups.
Accreditation Review Committee
Makes initial, continuing and adverse accreditation decisions on the written record and reviewer reports. Members are trained and recused for conflicts.
Appeals Panel
Hears appeals of adverse decisions. No member may have participated in the decision under appeal.
Ethics & Conflicts Committee
Reviews disclosures, rules on recusals and investigates complaints about Commissioners, reviewers or staff.
Finance & Audit Committee
Oversees the budget, fee schedule, reserves and the annual independent audit. Chaired by the Treasurer.
Nominating Committee
Recruits and vets candidates for open seats against the bylaws' role definitions and independence requirements.
How Commissioners are chosen
- Term length. Three years, renewable once. No Commissioner serves more than six consecutive years.
- Open call. Vacancies are announced publicly at least 60 days before the seat is filled, with the seat's role definition and independence requirements.
- Vetting. The Nominating Committee verifies eligibility, reviews conflict disclosures and interviews finalists.
- Election. The full Board elects by two-thirds vote. Public-member seats require the affirmative vote of the sitting public members.
- Removal. A Commissioner may be removed for cause, including an undisclosed conflict, by two-thirds vote after written notice and an opportunity to respond.
About the Board
Are Commissioners paid?
No. Commissioners serve as volunteers and are reimbursed only for documented travel and meeting expenses under a published policy. Reviewers who conduct site reviews receive a modest fixed honorarium that does not vary with the outcome.
Can someone who runs a training program sit on the Board?
Yes, in the educator seat, and only there. Educators bring essential expertise on what can be taught and assessed. The bylaws prevent them from forming a majority, require full disclosure of their affiliations, and recuse them from any review, appeal or policy vote that would affect a program they are connected to.
What is a public member?
A person who represents the interests of families and the broader public rather than any profession. Public members cannot currently hold, or have held in the past three years, a financial interest in a care training program, a certifying body, or an employer of care practitioners. Two of the nine seats are reserved for public members.
Does the Board vote on individual accreditation applications?
No. That is the role of the Accreditation Review Committee, acting on the written record. The Board sets the standards and the process; it does not apply them to cases. This separation is deliberate and is written into the bylaws.
How can I attend a Board meeting?
The Board holds at least one open session each year, announced on this site at least 30 days in advance. Approved minutes of all regular meetings are published, with confidential matters (specific applications, personnel, legal advice) recorded in summary form.
How do I raise a concern about a Commissioner?
Submit it in writing to the Ethics & Conflicts Committee through the complaints process. The Committee acknowledges receipt within 10 business days, and the Commissioner concerned takes no part in the review.
The rules that keep the Board independent
Bylaws, conflict-of-interest policy, decision-making and public disclosure, in one place.