Meet Our Volunteers

Volunteer Spotlight and Member Highlights

Exciting news! AABB’s Professional Engagement Program will be showcasing all of the great work our members do for AABB and the world at large.

Our PEP Volunteer Spotlight will consist of a short Q&A with one of our members published each month in AABB News. Our members play an integral role here at AABB and we want to share their accomplishments.

Member Highlights can be any volunteer accomplishment directly involved with AABB and will change as new highlights are added. These highlights may range from publications, committee work, webinars and everything in between!

We are currently soliciting names of individuals to showcase for the coming year in either our Volunteer Spotlight or a Member Highlight capacities. If you or a fellow AABB member are interested, please email us at PEP@aabb.org.

Professional Engagement Program Volunteer Spotlight on Suzanne Butch

Retired with a part-time temporary appointment at the Department of Pathology, Michigan Medicine, Ann Arbor

How long have you been an AABB member?

Since 1977

In which AABB volunteer activities are you currently active? In which have you participated?

Information Systems Committee: 1991-94, 1996-97, 1999-2001, 2014-17, Consultant 2018-20, Member 2021-24, Public Policy Strategy Committee: 2017-24, Coding and Reimbursement Committee: 2002-10, 2017-24, Chair 2009-2010, Consultant, 2011-2017, Inspector/Assessor, for Inspection and Accreditation Program, 1977-present AABB Representative to Americas Technical Advisory Group, 2015-18, Board of Directors - North Central District Director, 1985-89, Annual Meeting Education Program Unit, 2005-09, Quality System Accreditation Subcommittee 2002-06, Representative to the NCCLS Committee on Clinical Laboratory Standards, US Technical Advisory Group for ISO/TC 212 and ISO/TC 76, 1996-2004 Awards Committee, 2000-05, Administrative Section Coordinating Committee Interim Chair 1997, Scientific Workshop Committee, 1979-84, Committee on Pediatric Hemotherapy, 1984-88, Ad hoc Committee on Teleconferencing, 1985, Committee on Regional Education 1986-89, Ad hoc Committee on Computerized Immunohematology Knowledge Base, 1986-87, Ad hoc Committee to Review the Inspection & Accreditation Program, Chair, 1988, Standards Committee, 1989-94, Commonality Committee 1990-91, Nominating Committee, 1990, 1999, Administrative Section Coordinating Committee, 1993-98, Scientific Section Coordinating Committee, Liaison from ASCC, 1996-97, Membership Committee 1996, 1997, Selection of Abstracts Committee, 1996, 1997, Technical Manual Committee, 1996-99, Ad hoc Coding and Reimbursement Committee, Chairman 1998-99, Task Force on Reimbursement for Transfusion Therapies, 2000, Governance Task Force 1998-99, Medicare Billing Issues Task Force, 1999

What motivates you to volunteer?

Doing volunteer work, whether in my community or in my professional life, provides me with a sense of purpose. It answers the question “Why am I here?”

How has your volunteer work impacted your professional work?

It has provided me with lifelong friends and colleagues, and opportunities to publish and travel. I have been mentored by many and have mentored new professionals, growing personally with each interaction.

I have been a proponent of using technology to make our processes safer. By volunteering to be on the Information Systems and Standards committees, I have been involved in helping develop guidance for the use of computers, barcoding, and early blood irradiation devices. As a part of the Coding and Reimbursement Committee we finally obtained a billing code for the electronic crossmatch that allowed the widespread adoption of the process. These all provided insights for revising and improving processes at my own facility.

What have you learned from volunteering with AABB? And what advice would you give to someone interested in volunteering?

As a part of inspection teams, I have learned so much from going to various facilities. It forces you to know and understand the standards and regulations. In addition, you are exposed to new ideas. Regardless of the size of the facility, I learn something from every assessment.

Volunteer at the state level. Be persistent. If you don’t get an assignment the first time, ask again. Develop a CV. Get to know a current committee member and/or the committee Chair. And most of all, apply by the deadline.

What is your favorite food?

Pasta. There are so many options.