|
Karen Helfert Volunteer goals: Seeking a volunteer opportunity with a human services organization, with a long term, weekly or bi-weekly commitment, preferably working with some of the same people over time. Skills: Effective at organizing; writing/editing; advising on the look, feel and effectiveness/ usability of web sites; digital photography and graphic design. While I can grasp the big picture, I am also happy working in the background supporting program efforts and events.
Education: BA Fine Art, University of Maryland. AS in Nursing, Montgomery College MSN in Family Child Nursing, Catholic University Numerous training programs and workshops In my first semester of the Nursing Program at Montgomery College, my husband died, leaving me with children ages 5, 7, and 9 and I with no marketable skills. In the next five years, I finished my AS in Nursing and an MSN in Family Child Nursing. Founded and served as President and other positions for Student Nursing Associations at Montgomery College and Catholic University School of Nursing. Responsible for the establishment of the Nightingale Scholarship Fund for MC Nursing students
Volunteer Activities: Served as one of the first Commissioners on the Montgomery County Commission for Women. I was directly instrumental in initial development of policies, goals and direction of the Commission. One accomplishment, in particular, was, in a volatile feminist vs pro-life era, negotiating the Commission into taking an “agreeing to disagree” position on the abortion/prolife issue, avoiding significant political turmoil and allowing the Commission to develop effectively working toward other problems which affected all women. Served as Vice President and as a liaison from the Commission on many County and related organizations, such as: Montgomery County Public School's Family Life and Human Development Committee
Manpower Commission: Advised on implementation of C.E.T.A. programs
Emergency Medical Services Advisory Board
Patient Care Advisory Board to Suburban Hospital Board of Trustees Was co-organizer of the “Yellow Ribbons for the Hostages” in the Washington area during the hostage crisis, including decorating the National Christmas Tree with yellow ribbons and serving as the Montgomery County Liaison to the Montgomery County Hostage families.
Major Employment: I taught at the Georgetown School of Nursing for seven years (with student clinicals at Malcolm Grow Medical Center Pediatric Unit at Andrews Air Force Base) and served in several leadership roles in the School – unusual for someone without a Ph.D.
After GU, started work with the ground breaking AZT Treatment IND, a distribution program of AZT for patients with AIDS – initially as a nurse reviewing applications of patients wanting to receive AZT, then assuming increasing responsibility finally becoming the Assistant Director, supervising the nurses review panel, data collection/entry process and the AZT Hotline (20+ staff fielding calls from patients, families and physicians).
Moved to the NIH, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), Division of AIDS, when the program was first established and given the task, for all the NIAID sponsored extramural AIDS clinical trials, to develop, direct and maintain an Adverse Events reporting system to meet FDA requirements and data collection for this emerging disease where the natural progression, symptoms and related opportunistic infections were unknown. At one point, when women were first beginning AZT/Retrovir, we detected a problem in women taking AZT based on several reports of the deaths with rapid onset of liver failure. Despite ridicule (“AZT couldn’t possibly cause this”), official discouragement and initial FDA indifference, later published one of the first (if not the first) papers (Freiman JP, Helfert KE, Hamrell MR, Stein DS. Hepatomegaly with severe steatosis in HIV-seropositive patients. AIDS 1993;7:379-85.) documenting this type of adverse events for women taking AZT – now “recognized” as a known problem.
Later moved to the NIH, Office of Research Services, Division of Safety as a writer/editor, Information Officer and web designer/developer. While at NIH, served as: Chair (2 years) NIH Take Your Child to Work Day, member of the Worksite Health Promotion Action Committee and Health Fair Committee
Founded and served as President of the NIH Garden Club
I have designed, developed, and, in some cases, continue to maintain, a variety of web sites…several done on a pro bono basis for non profit organizations (such as Manna Food Center, Martha’s Table*, Red Wiggler*, Montgomery College Nursing Program*, Friends of the Chevy Chase DC Public Library*) Re: *web sites: these sites were done more than a few years ago and I no longer maintain these sites thus designs may have subsequently changed) . Examples of some other previous volunteer activities:
Committee for LEAD: A committee sponsored by the Child Health Advocacy Office, Children’s Hospital to increase awareness and prevention of lead poisoning.
Participant in various political campaigns; Precinct Chairman
Code3: A victim advocate and criminal justice watchdog organization
Montgomery County Advisory Council for Career and Technology Education - MCPS/Montgomery College
Current volunteer activities:
Randolph Civic Association: Website design and maintenance
Randolph Civic Foundation: Member, Board of Directors; Website design and maintenance
Montgomery County Election Judge
Brookside Gardens: Garden assistant
Takoma Park Horticultural Club: Website design/maintenance, Board member
Manna Food Center - Website redesign and maintenance
|