Strategic Leader Workshop: The Business of Credentialing and The Science of Innovation

Phil Gibbs, PhD, Steve Little, DBA, The Disruption Lab

The often repeated saying that “everything changed” with the pandemic is true in terms of how we office, work and learn. Like many sectors under this umbrella of activities, how we recognize stages of skill development and learning was already changing. Traditional diplomas and degrees from traditional institutions were already being supplemented with all types of badges, certificates, and credentials. Post pandemic this is likely to accelerate rapidly.The objective of this workshop is to enable credentialing professionals to move from a reactive mode in this new environment to a proactive mode. These professionals have the opportunity to be innovative and adopt disruptive innovation processes that will allow them to grow their organizations in this time of change and transition.

An Exercise in Perspectives: An interactive stakeholder exchange on licensure and certification.

Primary Presenter: Dale Atkinson, JD, Atkinson & Atkinson, LLC/The Atkinson Firm; Co-Presenter 1: Margo Adams Larsen, PhD, Atkinson & Atkinson, LLC/The Atkinson Firm

It is often difficult to appreciate the roles in the day to day context of the business of credentialing. This session will focus on, explore, and discuss the various stakeholder perspectives in the world of licensing and credentialing.

During the workshop, the presenters will share practical knowledge and challenge common misconceptions related to licensing and credentialing, and focus on developing the participant’s broader view of the role government, private sector, and consumers play in protecting the public and ensuring competency within practice and service delivery areas.

Integrating Decisionmakers in the Standard Setting Process: A How-to for Licensure and Certification

Primary Presenter: Corina Owens, Alpine Testing Solutions; Co-Presenter 1: Brett P Foley, PhD, Alpine Testing Solutions, Inc.

Standard setting is arguably one of the most critical aspects of any certification exam program. It defines the expectations for the exam or the performance standard and then translates that performance standard into an exam cut score. Credentialing organizations often rely on psychometricians and subject matter experts when determining exam cut scores. However, it is important to keep in mind that standard setting is ultimately a policy decision. Although decision-makers often have the final say on a test’s cut score, they sometimes lack the background and training to make a fully informed, psychometrically sound decision.

This workshop will present a systematic, multi-tiered, standard setting framework to help decision-makers integrate a broader range of considerations into their process while still honoring the experience, expertise, and judgment of subject matter experts.

Workshop presenters will guide attendees through two examples of implementing a role responsibility assignment matrix; one example in a licensure setting and one example in a certification setting. Further, workshop presenters will describe various types of feedback that could be used to inform the standard setting and decision-making process. Attendees will leave with a completed role responsibility matrix to support their next standard setting study.

NCCA Standards Revision Town Hall

Representatives from both the Standards Revision Main Committee and the NCCA

The NCCA Standards Revision project started in November 2019 with the intention to clarify, reorganize, and address challenges that have arisen in applying the NCCA Standards since the prior revision. Hear an overview of the project, what the upcoming changes entail, and an update regarding the implementation phase.

First Time Attendee Reception

Hosted by I.C.E.'s Program Committee, this reception is designed to encourage networking among other first-time attendees and provide an opportunity for you to meet I.C.E.'s volunteer leaders. This is an invitation-only event for first-time attendees.

ISO/IEC I7024

Primary Presenter: Dr. George Anastasopoulos, International Accreditation Service, Inc. (IAS)

Attend this session to learn about the ISO/IEC 17024 Standards. This is your opportunity to meet and ask questions with representatives from the International Accreditation Service.

Federal and State Legislative Initiatives Affecting The Certification Community

Primary Presenter: Julia Judish, Esq, Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP; Co-Presenter 1: Jeff Evans, ASAE: The Center for Association Leadership

This presentation by Julia Judish, legal advisor to the Professional Certification Coalition (PCC), and Jeff Evans, Associate Director, Public Policy, at the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE), will discuss important federal legislative opportunities benefiting the certification community for which the PCC and ASAE have advocated. The session will also address legislative threats to the certification community at the state level in the past year and major legislative trends the PCC is tracking that may affect certification organizations, both in regulated professions and for wholly voluntary certifications.

Certification’s Role in State Licensure and the Impact on IRS Exemption Classification.

Primary Presenter: Margaret "Misty" Bloom, Behavior Analyst Certification Board

In early 2021, the ICE Government Affairs Committee in collaboration with the Research & Development Committee convened a subgroup to gather survey information related to certification boards that are recognized in licensure and regulatory requirements. The goal of the study was to address the IRS classification of professional/private certification as typically being a 501(c)(6) (trade association) activity and not a 501(c)(3) (charitable/educational) activity. Of particular interest was the need to assess the extent to which private certification is of benefit to licensure and regulatory activities. The subgroup is very grateful to the survey participants. The survey outcome has provided valuable research for certification boards to assert that their activities lessen the burden of a governmental activity. This session will summarize the survey results.

Changes in Work: Implications for Credentialing Assessment

John Weiner, PSI Services; Co-Presenter 1: Alexander Alonso, PHD, SHRM-SCP, Society for Human Resource Management; Co-Presenter 2: Grady Colson Barnhill, MEd, National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants

Occupations have been rapidly evolving in recent years with advances in technology, digitalization and automation of tasks and processes. The rate of change has been accelerated by the pandemic and the push towards virtual/remote work and learning. The effects of these changes have been far reaching and pose new challenges for the design of credentialing assessments. In this session, experts in credentialing assessment will explore these changes and challenges and discuss the implications for those who design, develop, and use tests for high stakes credentialing programs.

The panel will examine questions related to technology- and pandemic-driven changes in work and the workplace, new and shifting competency requirements, and the impact on test design and development processes such as job analysis, competency modeling, what is measured, and when it is measured in the credentialing process. In discussing these topics, the panel will draw from their vast experience and expertise in credentialing testing, representing the perspectives of two different credentialing programs, as well as a global assessment services organization. Audience members will be encouraged to participate in the discussion to share additional perspectives and engage with the community.

Going the Way of Blockbuster: Will Test Centers Become Extinct?

Primary Presenter: Rachel R. Watkins Schoenig, Esg., Cornerstone Strategies LLC; Co-Presenter 1: Bill West, Examity; Co-Presenter 2: Jeff M. Marsh, Ascend Learning; Co-Presenter 3: Linda Adler, National Board of Medical Examiners; Co-Presenter 4: Stephanie Dille, ProctorU

We’ve spent years debating whether online proctoring is a viable delivery option for high-stakes assessments, including certification and licensure exams. The pandemic moved several organizations down that path more quickly than anticipated. Now that programs – and test-takers – know what it takes to test remotely, will it further alter our testing model to the point where test centers become used so seldom that they go the way of Blockbuster? Join testing professionals with both test center and online testing experience as they debate the future of test delivery.

Hey! Why Doesn’t Anybody Look Like Me?

Presenters: Mihaiela Ristei Gugiu, National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians; Dawn Morton-Rias, EdD, PA-C, National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants; Robin Rone, APRA International; Moderator: Beverly Black, National Commission on Certification for Physician Assistants

This session will focus on strategies for enhancing equity, diversity, and inclusion among testing and credentialing professionals.  There are qualified professionals from minority groups such as black, indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC), people with disabilities, lesbian, gay, bisexual, queer, and transgender (LGBTQ+) etc.), but they are not equally represented in the credentialing profession.

Do those involved in examination development and administration currently reflect the diversity of the candidates? What organizational strategies would open the pipeline so that the professionals developing and administering credentialing exams reflect the diversity of the overall population? How can the industry attract more diverse people into the credentialing profession? Is there a systemic bias that creates a barrier to entry? How can the obstacles that interfere with obtaining the education and experience needed to qualify for positions in the credentialing industry be removed?

Success in the profession requires a range of knowledge and skills, including communication, research, data management, collaboration, team building, networking, project management, and leadership. Learn about organizational assessments to determine: the diversity and inclusiveness of the current staff and board; the organizational attitude about equity, diversity, and inclusion; and the commitment to diversity in recruitment to fill available positions. Learn how forging new alliances with historically black colleges and universities can be part of a deliberate effort to diversify the pool of candidates. 

Strategies to Promote the Value of Your Certification Program

Primary Presenter: William Ellis, RPh, MS, Board of Pharmacy Specialties

While the world is rapidly changing (especially the post-pandemic world) there has been increasing

discussion about the knowledge and skills needed for employment. If certifying agencies wish to remain

relevant, there needs to be a comprehensive, multi-faceted effort to understand and promote the value

of your certification to important stakeholders such as the public, professional colleagues, employers,

and government agencies.

This session will explore some of the issues to consider in describing your certification programs’ value

including alignment with market needs and the expectation of stakeholders. Finally, this session will

provide ideas that participants could consider adapting to promote value and help assure their credentials

continued viability in a competitive marketplace.

Best Practices for Disciplinary Policies and Procedures

Primary Presenter: John Zarian, Esq., National Commission for the Certification of Crane Operators; Co-Presenter 1: Christina Hebdon, National Commission for the Certification of Crane Operators

Credentialing programs are generally required to implement ethics and discipline policies and procedures. This session will review the legal risks and considerations surrounding such a program. The session will also discuss recommended procedures and best practices for handling disciplinary matters, including considerations of case intake, investigation, documentation, appellate procedures, and appropriate escalation. In addition, the session will consider related issues such as identifying opportunities for improvement, the best use of written agreements and websites, and the need to view disciplinary procedures in a broad context of program integrity.

Certification Program for Credentialing Professionals

Speakers: Linda Anguish, SPHR and Douglas Weinbaum, Institute for Credentialing Excellence; William Ellis, BPS

 I.C.E.  launched the premier certification program for credentialing professionals. The I.C.E. Certified Credentialing Professional (ICE-CCP) allows credentialing professionals to demonstrate their knowledge, skills and abilities in governance, program operations, and assessment development and validation. Attend this session to learn about the program and ask questions of I.C.E. staff.  

I.C.E. New Membership Structure

Primary Presenter: Isabelle Gonthier, PhD, PSI Services; Co-Presenter 1: Janice Moore, SeaCrest Consulting; members of the Membership Structures Task Force

In order to support the Board's work on revised Mission, Vision, and Ends Statement, the Membership Structures Task Force was created at the beginning of 2021 and charged by the I.C.E. Board of Directors with evaluating a variety of membership model alternatives. The goal was to review the current model and evaulate opportunites to expand membership. Attend this session to learn about the process, review the proposed model, and share feedback.

Looking Forward: Results from the COVID-19 Impact on Cert. Survey, Lessons Learned, & Future Plans

Janice Moore, SeaCrest Consulting; Co-Presenter 1: Dennis Lee Spence, PhD, MS, CRNA, FAAN, NBCRNA; Co-Presenter 2: Denise Roosendaal, CAE, ICE; Co-Presenter 3: Sheri Sesay-Tuffour, PhD, CAE, Pediatric Nursing Certification Board

Results from the COVID-19 Impact on Certification Survey serve as a launching point for this interactive discussion. Panelists will highlight key survey findings and discuss lessons learned that they have carried into 2021. Audience members are encouraged to share their own adaptations and creative solutions to benefit the credentialing community as we leverage new tools and skills moving forward.

NCCA Session: Developing and Implementing a Test Security Plan

Presenters: Joy Matthews-Lopez, PhD; Johnna Gueorguieva, PhD; Linda Waters, PhD; William Ellis, MS, RPh

This session will address how to develop and use a test security plan (TSP) to improve testing outcomes across all delivery/proctoring models and enhance alignment with accreditation standards. TSPs consist of a comprehensive collection of policies, procedures, and documents that guide actions related to test security and address nearly every aspect of the testing process. A well-designed TSP supports program decision-making and identifies strengths, threats and actions required to protect a program’s intellectual property, defensibility, and the integrity of exam outcomes.

We know we need a public member but why exactly? And how do we go about it?

Primary Presenter: Karen Plaus, Ph.D., CRNA, FAAN, CAE, Consultant; Co-Presenter 1: Rebecca (Becky) LeBuhn, MA, Citizen Advocacy Center; Co-Presenter 2: Kevin Keller, Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards; Co-Presenter 3: Denise Crawford, ; Co-Presenter 4: Catherine Dower,

I.C.E. member boards usually need at least one public member, in part to meet accreditation requirements (such as those for ABSNC and NCCA). Some boards have long had public members and want to ensure their success. For other organizations, public board membership is a new concept. This session will explore the reasons behind encouraging or requiring public members on boards and also look at the pragmatic issues of:

• recruiting public member applicants;
• addressing diversity and inclusion issues;
• the application and appointment processes;
• strong and effective onboarding, orientation and training of newly appointed public members; and
• the roles public members may serve on boards, including as officers.

This panel will include two pairs of individuals – one C-suite representative and one public member – from two organizations (one health and one non-health) that have strong onboarding processes. The panelists will be interviewed by two members of the Public Member Workgroup.

Panelists include: 

• Karen Plaus
• Rebecca LeBuhn
• Kevin Keller
• Denise (Denny) Crawford

 Moderator: Catherine Dower

Demonstrating value: Efficacy research and proven results

Primary Presenter: Elisa Kahn, PMP, American Management Association; Co-Presenter 1: Jacqueline Carpenito, ACT, Inc.; Co-Presenter 2: Carla Caro, MA, ACT

We all believe in the value of credentials—or else we wouldn’t be here! It is not always the case, however, that organizations, industries, and practitioners around the world recognize and appreciate how credentialing can improve outcomes and advance a profession. Before investing time, energy, and funds in credentials stakeholders want to know—does the credential make a difference? What’s the benefit? This session will focus on how credentialing organizations can PROVE the value of their offerings and communicate this value to stakeholders. The implementation and integration of value proposition studies and efficacy research in credential development, maintenance, and marketing, can help support and substantiate organizations’ claims regarding their certification offerings.

The session will provide an introduction to the conduct of value proposition studies and efficacy research, including a discussion of strategic considerations and methodological approaches. The results of a recently completed efficacy and outcomes research study for the AMA Certified Professional in Management™ (AMA-CPM™) will then serve as an illustrative example of how credentialing organizations can identify, support, and prove the value of their credentials.

How to leverage data insights to grow your business

Primary Presenter: Isabel Cardenas-Navia, Workcred; Co-Presenter 1: Vanessa Brown, National Student Clearinghouse

One of the most pressing questions being asked by consumers, government agencies, employers, and policymakers is what is the value and/or return on investment of earning a credential. Learn how your credentialing body can become data-driven and leverage data insights to grow your business. Participants will have an opportunity to discuss the challenges to becoming a data-driven credentialing body and to provide input on tools and resources that can help them begin this journey.

If we survive COVID, political unrest, racial bias and climate change, What will 2030 look like?!

Primary Presenter: Grady Colson Barnhill, MEd, National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants; Co-Presenter 1: Denise Roosendaal, CAE, Institute for Credentialing Excellence; Co-Presenter 2: Tom Granatir, American Board of Medical Specialties; Co-Presenter 3: Marc Seale, A Prestigious UK University; Co-Presenter 4: Catherine Dower, JD, Catherine Dower Consulting

Structure would be a panel discussion/debate with moderator, and a significant period for audience interaction with the panel. This proposal is submitted on behalf of the I.C.E. Public Member Workgroup.

Questions/Topics will include:

Re-credentialing Improvements? Through increased education and consumer awareness, the public, employers and other stakeholders may begin to demand more of credentialing processes. A more informed consumer may demand more meaningful recertification/renewal processes to provide practitioners with evidence-based tools to support better patient safety or other outcomes. Increased stakeholder awareness may help strengthen credentialing bodies’ credentialing maintenance processes, but only for activities that are relevant, cost-effective, meaningful and minimally burdensome. Longitudinal Assessment is likely to be a part of this landscape, which will represent a new trend – the marriage of assessment and education to not only document competence but to improve it at the same time.

Regulatory Reform? Increasing consumer awareness and a focus on public safety could fuel more interest in regulatory process, perhaps leading to improvements such as more public members on licensing or credentialing boards. Evaluation of risk could lead to improved regulatory structures with varying rigor reflective of public risk involved (e.g., more relaxed requirements for cosmetologists relative to nurses). Increased rigor could also be applied for individual practitioners shown to be at greater risk for harming the public or having poor outcomes, such as practitioners in isolated practice, those re-entering practice or those who have been in practice for a large number of years.

Credentialing Restructure? The drive for meaningful recertification may lead to more individualized processes that document expertise in specialty or areas of practice focus. Microcredentialing, stacked credentials and so on may facilitate increasingly diverse credentialing schemes within professions. As technology, knowledge and skills develop and expand, practitioners, by necessity may know more and more about less and less. Increased access to big data and AI may make it possible to “automatically” observe practitioner behaviors and help document practitioner competence. For example, access to Electronic Health Records could make it possible to verify physician compliance with best practices or positive health outcomes for a number of patients.

Covid Legacies – What will remain of credentialing changes implemented to survive 2020? More online proctoring, almost certainly, but what are the trade-offs in terms of risk to the public? Clinical rotations, internships or on-the-job training are hard to complete during a pandemic and are costly and time-consuming for both students and educators. Will these requirements be increasingly replaced by simulations? Will there be more regulatory flexibility with regard to scope of practice and reciprocity? Will state borders be more “fluid,” particularly during times of acute need? How will certification and licensing bodies improve their flexibility and responsiveness?

Diversity Issues – 2020 was a year of great unrest and increasing focus on racial bias, systemic racism and cultural issues. With the increased awareness one hopes we will have an increasing understanding of how these issues intersect with credentialing and how we can make improvements. In the credentialing testing space we are likely to see an increased focus on sensitivity reviews of test questions, more studies of bias (differential item functioning) and ways to meaningfully address testing bias. In the education space we will address admission strategies, recruitment and incentives to not only improve diversity in the professions but also improve access to care across the country.

Increasing visibility and highlighting the value of a small certification program

Primary Presenter: Roberta Pineda, co-chair, Neonatal Therapy National Certification Board; Co-Presenter 1: Suzanne Schneider, NTCB

The neonatal therapy certification program was launched in November 2016 to validate the clinical experience and knowledge essential for effective delivery of neonatal therapy, specifically for occupational therapists, physical therapists and speech-language pathologists in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). The development and implementation of the certification program was spearheaded by a group of 14 neonatal therapy experts who were passionate about having standards to demonstrate experience and knowledge for practice in a highly complex setting. However, the expert knowledge of this group related to the NICU and not to complex business management. In addition, there were limited funds available for development and implementation of the certification program along with a small estimated pool of < 4000 neonatal therapists. Therefore, getting adequate traction and motivating neonatal therapists to engage in the certification process was necessary to enable a sustainable program. This required marketing and communications that increase visibility and highlight value.

Revenue is not a Four Letter Word: Pricing and Revenue Stability for Financial Sustainability

Primary Presenter: Terri Hinkley, EdD, MBA, BSN, RN, CAE, Medical-Surgical Nursing Certification Board; Co-Presenter 1: Carlos Restrepo, Agilutions; Co-Presenter 2: Michael Tatonetti, Pricing for Associations

Certification boards have not traditionally diversified their revenue models. 2020 saw many certification boards financially impacted because of global testing suspension. Further, increasing competition from for-profit entities are challenging certification programs. Associations have long embraced non-dues revenue streams for financial sustainability and provide a model for certification boards to examine ways to expand their revenue through existing product offerings. This session will explore how certification boards can evaluate existing products/opportunities and coalesce them into revenue streams for the organization.

The Value of Certification Phase 2: The Employer Perspective

Primary Presenter: Stephanie Dille, MBA, ProctorU

The I.C.E. External Stakeholders Working Group (ESWG) was established to meaningful information about the value of certification to ICE members. The working group is charged with assisting ICE in articulating the value of certification and providing tools that help credentialing organizations communicate their value to the external stakeholder audience. In 2019, the ESWG worked with an external market research consultant to administer a survey designed to identify the value that credentials bring to credential holders and presented the results at the 2019 ICE Exchange. In 2021, the ESWG has reignited its work and has now turned its attention to the employer community based on member interest in 2019.

As phase 2 of this research, the ESWG is building on the research done in phase 1 and reaching deeper into the stakeholder community, this time with employers. The objective of the research is to conduct both qualitative and quantitative research to determine different ways that credentials bring value to the employer community. This research will build off of the ESWG’s earlier work and seek to showcase the numerous ways that employers value and support certification. In 2021, qualitative research will include interviews and focus groups and in 2022, the working group plans to conduct a second quantitative research study focused on the employer community. The goal of the research is to provide the I.CE. membership with data and tools they can use to better position their credentials. Research results will include a summary of findings, value of certification messaging, case studies and other marketing examples.

This presentation will focus on the qualitative research and work accomplished in 2021. The panel will bring together several credentialing organizations and employers to discuss the relevance of certifications for their workforce. It will consist of 3-4 representatives from different employers, or credentialing organizations that work closely with employers, to share how they value certification and what programs they have in place to communicate its value to stakeholders. The presentation will also include highlights from a series of case studies that showcase what employers value about certification and the different ways they promote it in their organizations and with external stakeholders.

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion – What does that mean for credentialing bodies?

Primary Presenter: Mark Carlos Franco, Esq., Whiteford, Taylor & Preston, L.L.P.; Co-Presenter 1: Tracy Lofty Brown, MSA, CAE, International Board of Heart Rhythm Examiners; Co-Presenter 2: Denise Roosendaal, CAE, Institute for Credentialing Excellence

Like many other industries, the credentialing world has been working to understand how to address diversity, equity and inclusion in meaningful ways. For certification bodies, this may involve looking internally at the composition of the staff and volunteers and also externally at the various stakeholder groups including candidates, certificants and other groups within the profession or field. Unfortunately, this can be a difficult and sensitive task. The good news is that I.C.E. has created a new Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Task Force to serve as a resource to its members in this area.

This session will involve a panel and audience discussion on the questions and potential issues credentialing bodies may encounter or may have

The COVID-19 Aftermath: Evidence-Based Observations of Online Proctoring

Primary Presenter: Taylor Sparks Sullivan, PhD, Human Resources Research Organization; Co-Presenter 1: Julie Marie Knutson Gleason, Pearson VUE ; Co-Presenter 2: Nicholas Howald, Human Resources Research Organization; Co-Presenter 3: Harry Samit, Pearson VUE; Co-Presenter 4: Alexander Alonso, PHD, SHRM-SCP, Society for Human Resource Management

With the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, a number of testing programs experienced reduced capacity for in-person proctoring and moved to an online proctored (OP) environment. This session will present evidence-based observations of OP testing from several perspectives. Presenters will describe the OP environment and associated security precautions, discuss methods for detecting item compromise, and ways to identify whether scoring adjustments are needed for exams that we pre-equated under in-person proctored conditions.

UPDATE: CERTIFICATION IN THE EMERGING NORMAL

Primary Presenter: Denise Roosendaal, CAE, Institute for Credentialing Excellence; Co-Presenter 1: Tom Granatir, American Board of Medical Specialties; Co-Presenter 2: David Swankin, Esq., Citizen Advocacy Center; Co-Presenter 3: Sally Irvin,

This session builds upon well-received “Updates” at prior ICE Exchanges which raised awareness of legislation and litigation affecting certification and recertification. This year, our expert panel will also explore how COVID19 and the election are impacting the regulatory and legislative climate and disrupting established models for training and assessment. They will look at ways in which a rekindled focus on public health affects certification, business decisions, and employment. They will comment on how changing dynamics shape the strategic choices confronting ICE members’ boards of directors and how attention to diversity, equity, and inclusion challenge business-as-usual.