Making Connections Committee
The Making Connections Committee enhances the experience of OB members by helping all members feel at home in the division, welcoming new members, promoting research excellence, facilitating career progression, and integrating research with practice.
What we do
Helping members feel at home
We run the OB Ambassador Program to build an inclusive, welcoming environment. Ambassadors greet and connect with members at OB-sponsored events throughout the annual meeting.
Welcoming new members
Through the Adopt-A-Member Program, seasoned members support newcomers at AOM. We also host the "New to OB?" professional development workshop and an annual Networking Social.
Promoting research excellence
The Research Incubator PDW supports doctoral students, junior faculty, and international scholars with working manuscripts. The Research Roundtable and the Productivity Process share advice from senior scholars.
Facilitating career progression
"Halfway There, But Now What?" guides PhD students midway through their degree, from launching the dissertation to navigating the job market. "How to Manage Research Collaborations" supports scholars at any stage.
Integrating research with practice
Our session on publishing in translational outlets brings researchers and senior journal editors together to discuss how scholarly work can reach managers and shape real-world practice.
Current leadership
The committee is led by a chair and two co-chairs who direct its programming across the membership.
Committee chair
Anna Lennard
Indiana University
Committee co-chair
Nitya Chawla
University College London
Committee co-chair
Lauren Locklear
Texas Tech University
Recent chairs
Shannon Taylor · 2017
Adam Stoverink · 2018
Beth Campbell · 2019–2020
Margaret Luciano · 2021–2022
Kate Zipay · 2022–2024
MCC volunteers
The Making Connections Committee brings together members from across our community to build mentorship, networking, and engagement programming. These are the volunteers who make that work possible.
Frequently asked questions
How does the Making Connections Committee work in the OB Division?
The Making Connections Committee is a standing committee of the OB Division. Its primary goal is to develop and nurture relationships among members by fostering connections among new members and supporting high-quality relationships around research, teaching, and career progression.
What can the committee do for me?
We help you meet other OB members, both new and seasoned, and form relationships based on shared research and teaching interests and across career stages. To support those connections, the committee sponsors events such as the OB Research Incubator and other professional development workshops at the annual meeting, where you can find members with similar interests and meet potential collaborators.
How can I build future research collaborations through the committee?
We help members form relationships that strengthen their research. For example, the OB Research Incubator PDW assists doctoral students, junior faculty, and international scholars with working manuscripts, and the Productivity Process PDW offers interactive publishing advice for doctoral students and junior faculty.
What is the OB New Member Networking and Research Forum?
This committee-sponsored event is aimed at members who have joined in the last three years. It is an opportunity to meet other members and talk informally about shared research interests.
How can I recognize committee members at the meeting?
Look for members wearing a bright OB blue sticker at the AOM annual meeting. Committee members are present at all OB-sponsored events.
Where can I find and contact committee members?
Current leadership is listed on this page. You can also find committee members at every OB-sponsored event, where they wear the blue stickers, and reach out to them directly there.
How can I become a member of the committee?
It is easy to get involved. Email one of the committee chairs, or come to any OB-sponsored event and tell us you would like to join. Learn more on the
Making Connections programs page or through
Get Involved.