GOLD2023

NORTHWEST ASSOCIATION FOR BIOMEDICAL RESEARCH

aka NWABR   |   Seattle, WA   |  www.nwabr.org

Mission

TO PROMOTE THE PUBLIC'S TRUST OF BIOMEDICAL RESEARCH AND ITS ETHICAL CONDUCT

Notes from the nonprofit

We are a membership organization and our very generous members fund our core costs through their membership fees and the program revenue received for conferences. We do seek small grants though to support our educational and community programming. These programs have a direct impact of helping young people to become excited about the life sciences and the opportunities for further education and careers.

Ruling year info

1989

Executive Director

Mr. Ken M. Gordon

Main address

PO Box 18067

Seattle, WA 98118 USA

Show more contact info

Formerly known as

Washington Association for Biomedical Research

EIN

94-3079915

NTEE code info

Professional Societies, Associations (H03)

Biomedicine, Bioengineering (H92)

Biological, Life Science Research includes Marine Biology, Physiology, Biochemistry, Genetics, Biotechnology, etc.) (U50)

IRS filing requirement

This organization is required to file an IRS Form 990 or 990-EZ.

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Communication

Blog

Programs and results

What we aim to solve

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

The growing distrust in biomedical research. This includes basic science, research with animals and human trials.

Our programs

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?

Member Conferences

NWABR is currently providing several annual or bi-annual research conferences. These include: IACUC, which focuses on the ethical use of animals in research; IRB, which focuses on humans in research; Security and Crisis Communications which focuses on the safety and security of member institutions staff and their facilities. IBC conference, which focuses on the protections of staff, research subjects and the community when recombinant or synthetic DNA is used; two annual Clinical Research Professional Conferences (one in Seattle and one in Portland); and a Research Communications conference.

The aim of all of these conferences is to ensure that biomedical research is carried out at the highest level of ethics, with protections for human and animal research subjects and support for the overall field of biomedical research.

Population(s) Served
Adults

This program for NWABR teaches up to four cohorts of students at a time about biomedical research.
Camps have focused on Cancer, Genetics, Forensics, Informatics, Medical Molecular Biology, and Environmental Impacts on Health. Camps are designed to be both fun and educational. Camps also introduced students to new skills, careers and educational opportunities. A number of students saw the camps as part of a college prep program. Camps are conducted on college campuses (currently Seattle Pacific University and starting in 2023 Whitworth College). Students get to experience a taste of campus life and get to work in actual biology labs.

Population(s) Served
Adolescents

A key part of NWABR's work is about engaging and connecting lay communities with biomedical science. NWABR provides resources to promote the community, alongside communication training and support materials for Research Ambassadors. Lastly NWABR provides workshops for people who work in science so that they can compellingly articulate their work.

Population(s) Served
Adults

Where we work

Videos

Our Sustainable Development Goals

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

Learn more about Sustainable Development Goals.

Goals & Strategy

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

Learn about the organization's key goals, strategies, capabilities, and progress.

Charting impact

Four powerful questions that require reflection about what really matters - results.

1.0 Members: To be an effective member organization that is both responsive to member’s needs and which also works to improve member’s ethical research practice.
2.0 Research Community: To serve the needs of the biomedical research community through the provision of educational, networking and profile raising opportunities.
3.0 The Science Diversity Pipeline
Excite young people about biomedical research, the impacts of biomedical research and prospects for both education and careers in the broad biomedical research field.
4.0 The Community: Work to constructively engage the general community with biomedical research topics.
5.0 Internal: Build a sustainable, efficient and effective organization.
6.0 The future: Ensure that NWABR is a responsive, growing and learning organization.

Strategies include:
a. holding programs that engage and excite young people (Camp BIOmed, Youth Ethics summits and class experiences).
b. engage the more general public about science through the roll out of a Research Ambassadors program.
c. work with members through an annual series of research focused conferences.

NWABR is well positioned to carry out this work. It has a small staff, the majority of whom have been working scientists. It also engages more than 300 volunteers per year to support its public and educational programs. These volunteers represent member organizations, teachers and the broader life sciences community.

NWABR senior staff are skilled, experienced and accountable non-profit managers. Ken Gordon, for example, has benefited from non-profit focused programs at both the Harvard and Stanford graduate schools of business - and also is a relief teacher at Seattle Universities Master in Arts Leadership Program.

NWABR Board members represent a broad cross section of its institutional members, which means that NWABR has direct access to decision makers across the Northwest's Biomedical Research community.

NWABR has cemented its reputation as an advocate for ethically conducted bio medical research, it has ensured ongoing research compliance and improvement through a series of annual provided research conferences.

NWABR's student and community engagement programs are also now working very well. These programs are continually strapped for financial support which has severely limited growth.

How we listen

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

Seeking feedback from people served makes programs more responsive and effective. Here’s how this organization is listening.

done We shared information about our current feedback practices.

  • Who are the people you serve with your mission?

    Attendees at conferences, attendees at k-12 and other education activities, and feedback from several hundred stakeholders each year.

  • How is your organization using feedback from the people you serve?

    To identify and remedy poor client service experiences, To identify bright spots and enhance positive service experiences, To make fundamental changes to our programs and/or operations, To inform the development of new programs/projects, To identify where we are less inclusive or equitable across demographic groups, To strengthen relationships with the people we serve, To understand people's needs and how we can help them achieve their goals

  • Which of the following feedback practices does your organization routinely carry out?

    We collect feedback from the people we serve at least annually, We aim to collect feedback from as many people we serve as possible, We take steps to ensure people feel comfortable being honest with us, We act on the feedback we receive, We tell the people who gave us feedback how we acted on their feedback

  • What challenges does the organization face when collecting feedback?

    It is difficult to get the people we serve to respond to requests for feedback, The people we serve tell us they find data collection burdensome

Financials

NORTHWEST ASSOCIATION FOR BIOMEDICAL RESEARCH
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Operations

The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.

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Connect with nonprofit leaders

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lock

Connect with nonprofit leaders

Subscribe

Build relationships with key people who manage and lead nonprofit organizations with GuideStar Pro. Try a low commitment monthly plan today.

  • Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
  • Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
  • Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations

Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights? Learn More about GuideStar Pro.

NORTHWEST ASSOCIATION FOR BIOMEDICAL RESEARCH

Board of directors
as of 05/12/2023
SOURCE: Self-reported by organization
Board chair

Dr. Aaron Putzke

Whitworth University Washington

Term: 2022 - 2024

Bob Ennes

University of Washington

Charlotte Shupert

Individual Member

Cheryl Weaver

Benaroya Research Institute at Virginia Mason

Sally Thompson-Iritami

University of Washington

Richard Burrows

Individual Member

Shannon Reynolds

Allen Institute

Linda Coleman

Individual Member

David Forster

WIRB/Copernicus Group

Rajesh Uthamanthil

Seattle Children's

Bruce Busby

Fred Hutch

Preston Van Hooser

Individual Member

Jessica Cohen

PATH

James Riddle

Advarra

Kara Drolet

OHSU

Emily Firman

Arcora Foundation

Robert Gaebel

Individual Member

David Holmgren

OHSU

Mike Kluzik

Washington State University

Heather Peters

Multicare Health

Aaron Putzke

Whitworth University

Gordon Roble

Fred Hutch

Greg Yandl

Providence

Jennifer Hansberry

Swedish

Tanya Matthews

Kaiser Permanente

Kelly Lawrence

Seattle Children's Research Institute

Mike Broadhurst

Altasciences

Laura Flores Cantrell

Andy Hill CARE Fund

Alisha McCall

VA Puget Sound

Norman Peterson

Seagen

Meghan Scott

Fred Hutch

Mackenzie Cooper

Medix

Christopher Doyle

WCG IBC

Ran Goldman

University of British Columbia

Mary Healy

Providence

Anhaita Jamula

EvergreenHealth

Sheryl Johnson

University of Oregon

Sterling McPherson

Washington State University

Tong Sun

Institute for Translational Health Sciences

R. Bert Wilkins

WCG IRB

Nina Woodford

Washington State University

Dylan Brown

PhRMA

Deidre Dillon

Providence

Karen Taylor

PNNL

Board leadership practices

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

GuideStar worked with BoardSource, the national leader in nonprofit board leadership and governance, to create this section.

  • Board orientation and education
    Does the board conduct a formal orientation for new board members and require all board members to sign a written agreement regarding their roles, responsibilities, and expectations? Yes
  • CEO oversight
    Has the board conducted a formal, written assessment of the chief executive within the past year ? Yes
  • Ethics and transparency
    Have the board and senior staff reviewed the conflict-of-interest policy and completed and signed disclosure statements in the past year? Yes
  • Board composition
    Does the board ensure an inclusive board member recruitment process that results in diversity of thought and leadership? Yes
  • Board performance
    Has the board conducted a formal, written self-assessment of its performance within the past three years? No

Organizational demographics

SOURCE: Self-reported; last updated 5/12/2023
info Candid has made improvements to the race and ethnicity options.

Who works and leads organizations that serve our diverse communities? Candid partnered with CHANGE Philanthropy on this demographic section.

Leadership

The organization's leader identifies as:

Race & ethnicity
White/Caucasian/European
Gender identity
Male, Not transgender (cisgender)
Sexual orientation
Heterosexual or straight
Disability status
Person without a disability

Race & ethnicity

Gender identity

 

Sexual orientation

Disability

Equity strategies

Last updated: 04/21/2022

GuideStar partnered with Equity in the Center - an organization that works to shift mindsets, practices, and systems to increase racial equity - to create this section. Learn more

Data
  • We review compensation data across the organization (and by staff levels) to identify disparities by race.
  • We ask team members to identify racial disparities in their programs and / or portfolios.
  • We employ non-traditional ways of gathering feedback on programs and trainings, which may include interviews, roundtables, and external reviews with/by community stakeholders.
  • We have long-term strategic plans and measurable goals for creating a culture such that one’s race identity has no influence on how they fare within the organization.
Policies and processes
  • We seek individuals from various race backgrounds for board and executive director/CEO positions within our organization.
  • We have community representation at the board level, either on the board itself or through a community advisory board.
  • We help senior leadership understand how to be inclusive leaders with learning approaches that emphasize reflection, iteration, and adaptability.
  • We engage everyone, from the board to staff levels of the organization, in race equity work and ensure that individuals understand their roles in creating culture such that one’s race identity has no influence on how they fare within the organization.