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JRCERT Update

My Journey: Serving on the JRCERT Board of Directors

a terrific mentor who prepared me well for the chair
position.
It was a busy and exciting time for me. As chair I
conducted board meetings, of course, but I also rep-
resented the board at national and state professional
meetings across the country, meetings that included
the Association of Collegiate Educators in Radiologic
Technology, the Association of Educators in Imaging
and Radiologic Sciences Inc, and the ASRT. In addi-
tion, I defended the JRCERT’s petition for reaccredita-
tion to the Council for Higher Education Accreditation
Committee on Recognition in Washington, DC.
During this presentation, it was comforting to have
the support of Leslie Winter, MS, R.T.(R), JRCERT
chief executive officer, and Darcy Wolfman, MD, cur-
rent board treasurer. As needed, I assisted with unan-
nounced site visits.
I completed my term in April 2015. Those were 6 of
the most precious and rewarding years for me in this
profession. I always felt a sense of pride with each class
I graduated during my tenure as a program director, but
this achievement felt different. This was something I
did for the profession and for myself. Throughout my
term, I had terrific support from my JRCERT family,
my husband, my program faculty, my students, and
most importantly my employer, Montgomery County
Community College, in Pottstown, Pennsylvania. They
all encouraged and praised my participation on the
JRCERT board and allowed me the freedom to commit
the time and travel required for board activities.
Looking back, I feel we were the hardest working
and most professional board I have ever served on. We
worked hard, we laughed even harder, and we always
respected one another’s opinions. I made friends for a
lifetime.
My advice to others thinking of giving back to the
profession? Go for it! You will not be disappointed.

Debra Poelhuis, MS, R.T.(R)(M), is a former chair of
the board of directors for the Joint Review Committee on
Education in Radiologic Technology. She also is clinical
coordinator for Montgomery County Community College in
Pottstown, Pennsylvania.

448 RADIOLOGIC TECHNOLOGY, March/April 2016, Volume 87, Number 4
Reprinted with permission from the American Society of Radiologic Technologists for educational purposes. ©2019. All rights reserved.