The CDC Foundation, a leading nonprofit organization established in 1995, partners with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to advance public health worldwide. In collaboration with the CDC’s Epidemic Intelligence Service (EIS) Program—a renowned initiative training epidemiologists since 1951—the foundation supports an expansive alumni network of over 4,000 EIS graduates. This network not only sustains the legacy of the EIS Program but also fosters a collaborative environment for sharing experiences, research findings, and best practices among public health professionals.
Project Objectives
The primary aim was to create a dynamic digital platform that unites EIS alumni in a shared space. The portal was designed to:
- Facilitate Connections: Enable alumni to easily find and connect with peers based on a robust, multi-select filtering system.
- Promote Collaboration: Offer group management tools and a job board to encourage professional networking and career opportunities.
- Enhance User Autonomy: Allow alumni to update their personal information independently, with seamless synchronization to Salesforce.
- Showcase Events: Highlight upcoming courses, conferences, and annual meetings, keeping the community informed and engaged.
- Streamline Data Management: Simplify the complex process of managing extensive alumni profiles, ensuring data is current and easily accessible.
Our Approach & Solution
Advanced Communities developed a bespoke, user-friendly alumni portal on the Salesforce Experience Cloud tailored specifically for the CDC Foundation’s requirements. Key components of the solution include:
- Sophisticated Member Directory: Leveraging the AC MemberSmart app, we created an advanced directory with a multi-select filtering system. This compact design accommodates lengthy filters with up to 100 options, enabling alumni to pinpoint peers with precise characteristics.
- Comprehensive Profile Management: Each alumni profile showcases over 40 fields—ranging from EIS assignment details to education and work histories—all arranged neatly on one page. The integration of Salesforce components with screen flows allows both the CDC Foundation staff and alumni to modify profiles effortlessly.
- Empowered User Experience: Alumni have full control over their profiles. They can update contact details directly within the portal, with changes automatically syncing to Salesforce, ensuring the foundation always has access to accurate data.
- Dynamic Job Board: Our custom job board allows alumni, the CDC Foundation, and even guest users to post job listings and volunteer opportunities. A personalized job digest feature automatically groups users for weekly updates, and members can adjust notification preferences to suit their needs.
- Automated Groups Management: Custom development was used to streamline group assignments based on graduation year or EIS study focus. This automation ensures that alumni are connected to the most relevant groups, facilitating discussions and collaborations that align with their expertise.
- Engaging Events & Resource Libraries: The portal also features event management tools to showcase upcoming and past events, along with resource libraries for sharing valuable documents and information, making it a comprehensive hub for the alumni community.
- Ongoing Support and Training: Beyond development, Advanced Communities provided continuous knowledge support and training, helping the CDC Foundation team master Salesforce functionalities such as screen flows and object management.
Benefits & Results
The newly implemented alumni portal has significantly enhanced the engagement and operational efficiency of the CDC Foundation’s EIS alumni network:
- Advanced Filtering: The multi-select filtering system makes it remarkably easy for alumni to find peers that match specific criteria, streamlining networking and collaboration.
- User-Centric Profiles: A streamlined profile layout with extensive, customizable fields empowers alumni to maintain accurate and up-to-date personal and professional information.
- Flexible Data Management: Salesforce flows and screen flows give the CDC Foundation staff the agility to adjust data fields without needing additional coding, ensuring that the portal evolves with the community’s needs.
- Vibrant Job & Volunteer Board: The job board not only connects alumni to career opportunities but also actively keeps them informed through customized job digests.
- Enhanced Community Engagement: Automated group management and a well-organized events section ensure that every alumni member can easily join relevant groups and stay updated on key activities and initiatives.
- Empowered Self-Service: Alumni enjoy the autonomy to manage their profiles and engage with the platform, leading to a more active and connected network.
And here’s what CDC Foundation said about our performance:
“The Advanced Communities implementation team was very responsive to our unique needs and worked with us to create an effective, customized member portal solution which we will be able to leverage across multiple member communities. The training and support provided to ensure we are able to maintain our current member portal and begin design of new portals has been extremely valuable. Thank you AC Team!”
CDC Foundation Team
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